The latest weekend promo of Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 7 has sparked a wave of discussion online, with viewers applauding host Mohanlal for taking an unambiguous stand against homophobic remarks made inside the house.
In the clip, the veteran actor is seen confronting wildcard contestant Lakshmi after she dismissed fellow housemates Adhila Nasarin and Fathima Noora, the first openly LGBTQ+ couple on the Malayalam reality show. When Lakshmi argued that she could not “accept” their relationship, Mohanlal shot back, reminding her that the couple owed her no explanations. “I would welcome them into my home,” he asserted, before warning that contestants who continued with such comments were free to walk out of the show.
The moment quickly trended across social media platforms, with many users on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook praising the superstar’s intervention as “powerful” and “long overdue”. Some noted, with the usual scepticism surrounding reality TV, that Bigg Boss may be scripted to an extent. However, even with that caveat, Mohanlal’s words carry weight: as one of the most beloved and influential figures in Kerala, his clear endorsement of inclusivity was described by fans as capable of shifting attitudes in the broader society.
This is not the first time the programme has been at the centre of such conversations. In Season 4, a young contestant, Ashwin Vijay, came out as gay on air in a moving exchange with fellow housemates Jasmine Moosa and Aparna Mulberry, both of whom are openly lesbian. Activists hailed the moment as a rare instance of regional television offering authentic representation and sparking meaningful discussion around queer lives.
Over the years, Bigg Boss Malayalam has both courted controversy and won appreciation for the visibility it has afforded to marginalised voices. The show, produced by Endemol Shine India and broadcast by Asianet, has often been criticised for its voyeurism and commercialisation of conflict. Yet it is precisely this mass reach, coupled with Mohanlal’s immense popularity, that makes its occasional forays into inclusivity resonate beyond the show itself.