Bigg Boss 16: Are Shalin Bhanot and Sumbul Touqueer the new 'Sidnaaz' of Salman Khan's show?

Bigg Boss season 16, hosted by Salman Khan, premiered on October 1 and it has already garnered a lot of media attention due to the ongoing drama and gameplay between the contestants. However, amid all the fights and arguments, the interesting bond between Shalin Bhanot and Sumbul Touqeer Khan has become a point of conversation both inside and outside the house.

Housemates talking about #Shabul

Talking about the housemates, in one of the latest episodes, Tina Datta was seen asking Shalin if there is anything going on between him and Sumbul. Initially, Shalin was shocked, but he eventually laughed it off and told Tina that nothing is brewing between him and Sumbul because she is younger than him. Shalin answered, "Nahi yaar woh bacchi hai, ye kahan se aaya (she's a kid)."

In another corner, Manya Singh was heard talking about the same thing. She said that Sumbul and Shalin are tryiong to impersonate Sidharth Shukla and Shehnaaz Gill by faking a romantic relationship because they were frequently seen holding hands. Manya said, "Aapko kisi ka pallu, haath pakad ke aage jaane ki kya zarurat hai. Dum hai toh apne dum par aage badho na. Sabko yahan par Sidharth Shukla aur Shehnaaz banna hai. Par woh dono real the, unke emotions real the, woh dono ek dusre ke liye jaan dene ke liye bhi ready the. (Why do you want to move ahead by following someone? If you are capable, do it on your own. Everyone wants to be like Shehnaaz Gill and Sidharth Shukla, but they were real. Their emotions were real)."

Meanwhile, fans were also speculating a closeness between the duo as Sumbul was seen interacting the most with Shalin and both are often seen together inside the house.

In a recent interview with Times Now, Sumbul Touqeer's father spoke about Sumbul and Shalin's bond. He revealed that he didn't know Shalin before but now he has started to know about him.

Sumbul's father says 'I am not tensed'

Talking about Sumbul's friendship with him, her father revealed that before entering Bigg Boss' house Sumbul has told him that she is not going to 'shaadi.com' to find someone a suitable match instead she is going to play the game. Sumbul's father stated that whatever she is doing and whatever her plan is, she has the liberty to do it. He said, "If on such a small thing we talk about bringing her back, all that I've told her and the poem I wrote, go in vain."

Sumbul's father also believes that if she is playing a game and makes a mistake the 'Imli' star will eventually learn from it as he won't be there with her everywhere to guide her. He added, "That's why I am not tensed, and when people are concerned about her, I feel good that everyone cares about her so much."

Well, Bigg Boss has always been known for its romances, which undoubtedly boost the show's TRPs. But will history repeat itself? Though Bigg Boss fans have been rooting for their first official couple of season 16 and trending #Shabul across social media, we can all just wait and watch to see if this genuinely blossoms into a real relationship.