Gaurav Khanna, the Kanpur-born television actor who played Anuj Kapadia in Anupamaa, won Bigg Boss 19 on December 7, 2025, Hindustan Times reported. India TV reported that he was born on December 11, 1981, which makes him 44. His wife, Akanksha Chamola, said on June 27, 2026, that they are getting a divorce, The Times of India reported.
As of October 19, 2026, no outlet reviewed reports a final divorce decree. His next fiction show is teased but not named: Star Plus released a teaser with Shraddha Arya, reported on October 13 and 14, days after he played Lord Rama on stage in Agra.
From Bhabhi to Anupamaa: his television career
India TV’s profile of December 11, 2025, says he built his name over two decades. He started with small roles and advertisements, then appeared in Bhabhi and Kumkum. His break came with Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam, opposite Yami Gautam, and CID, Jeevan Saathi and Tere Bin followed.
India TV’s December 2025 profile called 2021 the year of his most defining role, Anuj Kapadia in Anupamaa. Its October 14, 2026, report added that he played opposite Rupali Ganguly there, and that his credits include Love Ne Mila Di Jodi, Meri Doli Tere Angana, Laal Ishq and Chandragupta Maurya.
The Times of India carried his confirmation on December 3, 2024, that he was leaving the show. Its headline read “For now, Anuj’s chapter is closed.” Hindustan Times wrote on October 12, 2026, that he turned to reality television after the exit. India Forums said on October 13 that he has been away from daily fiction since.
How old is Gaurav Khanna?
Gaurav Khanna is 44 as of October 19, 2026. India TV’s profile of December 11, 2025, gives his birth date as December 11, 1981, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He turns 45 on December 11, 2026.
Indian Express gave his age as 43 on August 13, 2025, which fits that date, and no outlet reviewed gives a different one.
India TV also reported that he earned an MBA in Mumbai and worked for nearly a year as a marketing manager at an IT firm before acting became his career. He did not go into acting straight after college, the profile said.
Bigg Boss 19 win, MasterChef and Khatron Ke Khiladi 15
Yes, Gaurav Khanna won Bigg Boss 19. The finale on December 7, 2025, ended with Farrhana Bhatt as runner-up, Hindustan Times reported on December 8. He received the trophy and a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh, which is 5 million rupees.
News18 wrote on the day of the finale that the season began on August 24, 2025, with 18 contestants. Five reached the last week: Khanna, Farrhana Bhatt, Tanya Mittal, Pranit More and Amaal Malik. Khanna became the first finalist by winning the Ticket to Finale task.
After the win he told ANI that he dedicated it to the common man and to his fans, Hindustan Times said. He added that he wanted to win without abuse or fights and by speaking only when needed.
The title followed an earlier one. Indian Express called him the Celebrity MasterChef winner on August 13, 2025, and India TV described it as the first season of Celebrity MasterChef India. India Today said on August 24, 2025, that he joined Bigg Boss 19 months after that win.
His third reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, ended early. Hindustan Times reported on October 12, 2026, that he was first eliminated after an injury stopped him from completing a task, came back as a wildcard and quit within a week. Avinash Mishra won the season.
Outlook explained on September 15, 2026, that an elbow injury was the reason and that he left after winning the elimination stunt against Ruhaanika Dhawan and Rubina Dilaik. In a vlog filmed in Cape Town, he said later electrocution stunts could worsen the pain.
Is Gaurav Khanna divorced?
Gaurav Khanna’s divorce is not on record as final as of October 19, 2026. Akanksha Chamola said on June 27, 2026, that they are getting a divorce, and no outlet reviewed reports that it has been finalized. Coverage as late as October 5 still refers to the divorce without a decree.
Who is his wife?
His wife is Akanksha Chamola, a television actress. They married on November 24, 2016, in Kanpur, Hindustan Times reported on August 5, 2026, and News18 gave the same date on July 1. Both outlets say the two met at an audition. No outlet reviewed reports an earlier marriage for Khanna.
What she said
The announcement came at the premiere of Lock Upp 2 on Netflix. The Times of India reported on June 27, 2026, that she told hosts Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh she and Khanna were getting a divorce after living separately for a year. She called it a mutual decision with no bad blood.
She said the two still talk and that they “see very different futures.” Hindustan Times added on August 5 that she later named differing views on having children as one reason.
What he said
The Hans India reported on July 1, 2026, that his first public remark was “Meri biwi hai yaar,” which the outlet translated as “She is still my wife.” News18 reported the same day that he told reporters the love and support were still there and wished her the very best. It noted that he did not directly address her claim that they are separated.
Status as of October 19, 2026
After leaving Lock Upp 2, Chamola said the divorce was not meant for ratings. Hindustan Times reported on August 5, 2026, that she said the legal teams were already talking before she entered the show and that the couple only had to sign the papers.
The outlets differ on one line, as Hindustan Times translated her Hindi remark as saying the process had already been completed. WION, also on August 5, translated it as having already begun. Neither report mentions a court date or a decree.
Later coverage is brief, as India TV referred to a “divorce row” on September 13, while Free Press Journal on October 5 wrote about “his divorce from Akanksha Chamola” when a comedian joked about it at the Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 finale. Khanna kept smiling, Free Press Journal reported, and said he had learned to take jokes sportingly.
Lord Rama in Agra and the Star Plus teaser
He played Lord Rama for the first time at Janakpuri Mahotsav 2026 in Agra, Hindustan Times reported on October 12. The stage show was held at Bhavana Estate, with Vindu Dara Singh as Hanuman. Free Press Journal listed Rajan Modi as Lakshman, Aarya Babbar as Ravana and Prachi as Sita.
His parents watched him perform live for the first time, both outlets wrote. Fans online compared him with Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s film Ramayana. Those comparisons are social media comments, not a review of the performance.
What is Gaurav Khanna’s new show?
Star Plus has teased a new fiction show with Khanna and Shraddha Arya, but it has not named the show or given a premiere date. India Forums and India TV reported the teaser on October 13 and 14, 2026, and reports tie it to Ektaa Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms.
The teaser itself is plain, with Khanna and Arya arriving at the Balaji Telefilms office while reporters ask about their project and neither answers. Star Plus captioned it “Kuch bohot exciting is loading,” India TV reported.
The rest is not confirmed, since Odisha TV and India TV both put their headlines as questions and Odisha TV said the teaser fueled speculation. Hindustan Times reported on August 14 that the project was a romantic family drama still being cast, citing Telly Masala, and that some reports aimed at an October 2026 launch. On October 12, it still called the show untitled and under development. Title, story and release date remain open.
What viewers on Reddit are saying about Gaurav Khanna
Reddit threads about Gaurav Khanna hold viewer opinions, not reporting, quoted here as written. The r/IndianTellyTalk thread announcing his win drew 485 upvotes on December 7, 2025, under the question of whether he deserved the trophy.
A defender in r/biggboss argued the format favors well-known actors.
“This is a celebrity format of Big Brother so obviously popular faces will come. … It’s not his problem that he is popular, he’s worked hard for 20 years for it and that worked against him.”
– r/biggboss, December 2025 (98 upvotes, excerpt)
A critic posted on the day of the finale. The post got no upvotes, though it drew 25 comments.
“He got active from 10th week and Farhana played much better than him..”
– r/biggboss, December 2025 (0 upvotes, excerpt)
The fan subreddit r/GauravKhanna reacted in October 2026 to a video of him speaking about the divorce. No national outlet reviewed reported that video, so what he said is not summarized here.
“He was mature, composed and crystal clear, without defaming the other person or taking indirect digs at anyone.”
– r/GauravKhanna, October 2026 (53 upvotes, excerpt, fan subreddit)
Dated timeline, 2016 to October 2026
Each row names the outlet that reported it. The page’s own date was used where a news feed showed a different one.
| Date | Event | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| November 24, 2016 | Marries Akanksha Chamola in Kanpur | Hindustan Times, News18 |
| 2021 | Appears as Anuj Kapadia in Anupamaa | India TV |
| December 3, 2024 | Confirms his exit from Anupamaa | The Times of India |
| August 13, 2025 | Called the Celebrity MasterChef winner | Indian Express |
| August 24, 2025 | Bigg Boss 19 season begins | News18 |
| December 7, 2025 | Wins Bigg Boss 19; Farrhana Bhatt runner-up; Rs 50 lakh | Hindustan Times, News18 |
| June 27, 2026 | Chamola says on Lock Upp 2 they are getting a divorce | The Times of India |
| July 1, 2026 | His first remarks after the announcement | The Hans India, News18 |
| August 5, 2026 | Chamola says papers remain to be signed | Hindustan Times, WION |
| August 14, 2026 | First reports of a Star Plus show with Shraddha Arya | Hindustan Times |
| September 15, 2026 | Explains leaving Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 | Outlook |
| October 5, 2026 | Divorce joke at the Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 finale | Free Press Journal |
| October 12, 2026 | First stage turn as Lord Rama in Agra | Hindustan Times, Free Press Journal |
| October 13, 2026 | Star Plus teaser with Shraddha Arya; no title yet | India Forums, India TV |
Gaurav Khanna FAQ
Who is Gaurav Khanna?
Gaurav Khanna is a television actor from Kanpur who played Anuj Kapadia in Anupamaa and won Celebrity MasterChef India and Bigg Boss 19 in 2025, according to India TV and Hindustan Times.
How much did Gaurav Khanna earn from Bigg Boss 19?
The winner’s prize was Rs 50 lakh plus the trophy, Hindustan Times reported on December 8, 2025. His fee is not on record: India Today reported on August 24, 2025, that he called the highest-paid reports hearsay and said contestants do not discuss money.
Is Gaurav Khanna still in Anupamaa?
No. The Times of India reported on December 3, 2024, that he confirmed his exit, and India Forums wrote on October 13, 2026, that he has been away from daily fiction since.
Was Gaurav Khanna married before Akanksha Chamola?
No earlier marriage is reported. Every outlet reviewed names Akanksha Chamola, whom he married on November 24, 2016, Hindustan Times reported on August 5, 2026.
Has Gaurav Khanna’s new show been named?
No, as of October 19, 2026. Star Plus has shown a teaser with Shraddha Arya but has not announced a title or premiere date, India Forums and Odisha TV reported.
