One clip, one crowd, 3 new Superstars:MP girls turn sudden viral fame at MahaKumbh into film roles and Bigg Boss entry after a single life-changing moment in 2025

Till 2025, their lives were simple and they were known to very few people. But in 2025, one moment on social media changed everything, turning them into well-known faces. The three women are Harsha Richharia, Monalisa and Tanya Mittal. They rose to fame from the crowds of the Prayagraj Mahakumbh to becoming names discussed on TV’s popular reality show Bigg Boss. As 2025 comes to an end, the question now is how they see the year ahead and what plans they have for the future. Bhaskar spoke to all three to understand their journey and their next steps. Read the report…. Left the path of glamour and adopted the path of spirituality
The story of 31-year-old Harsha Richharia, a resident of Bhopal, presents a complex picture of the confluence of faith and modernity. Born in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, Harsha’s family lives in Bhopal, where her father Dinesh is a bus conductor and her mother Kiran runs a boutique. Harsha has a long-standing connection with the world of glamour. Before embarking on the spiritual path, she was a successful stage anchor, model, and social media influencer. She had a significant fan following on Instagram, where she presented herself as a makeup artist, social activist, and travel blogger. A spiritual turn came in Harsha’s life when, about two years ago, she met Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of Niranjani Akhara. Impressed by him, Harsha took initiation. However, she had not completely abandoned her professional life. How she came into the limelight
The biggest turning point in her life came during the Prayagraj Mahakumbh of 2025. On January 4, when the grand procession (peshwai) of Niranjani Akhara emerged, Harsha was seen seated on a chariot with the saints. When the cameras focused on her attractive face, the pictures and videos went viral on social media under the name “The Most Beautiful Sadhvi of Mahakumbh”. Overnight, she became the center of discussion on the internet. This fame brought with it a major controversy. A large section of the saint community became angry over her attire and sitting on a chariot as a sadhvi. Shambhavi Peethadhishwar Swami Anand Swaroop Maharaj commented sharply, saying, “This is not appropriate. It spreads a wrong message in society. Making religion a part of a spectacle is dangerous.” Meanwhile, Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati also said that it is completely inappropriate to seat a person who has not decided whether to take sannyas or marry, on a royal chariot in saffron robes. The controversy grew so much that Harsha became mentally disturbed and left the Mahakumbh midway. Recalling that period, she says, “I was very disturbed. Now promotes Sanatan on social media
After Mahakumbh, Harsha’s life completely changed. She bid farewell to the world of glamour and fully embraced the life of a sadhvi. Now she uses her social media platforms only to spread awareness on issues related to Sanatan culture and religion. She says, “I was already active on social media, Kumbh gave me an even bigger platform.” Now I vocally raise issues related to religion, because of which I receive threats daily, but now I’ve gotten used to it.” After gaining fame, she also received many film offers, but Harsha has made it clear that her goal is no longer acting, but rather to propagate religion. Coming from a simple family, she is moving forward on her chosen path, facing extraordinary fame and controversies. Came into the limelight by selling Rudraksha rosaries at Kumbh
The story of 17-year-old Monalisa Bhonsle, who emerged from the streets of Maheshwar, a holy city in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, to reach the sets of the film world, is like a dream come true. Born into an extremely poor family, Monalisa’s family has been making a living for generations by selling Rudraksha rosaries at fairs and religious events. Being the eldest among her siblings, the responsibility of the family fell on her early. She says, “I went to school for only one day. After returning, I told my family that I didn’t want to study, because if I didn’t earn, who would bear the expenses of my younger siblings?” After this, she gave up the idea of studying forever. When I became famous, I felt more fear than happiness
The Prayagraj Mahakumbh of 2025 was just a means of livelihood for her. She was selling garlands with her family when a content creator captured her mesmerizing beautiful eyes and innocent smile on camera. As soon as this video came on social media, it went viral. People named her ‘Mona Lisa of Mahakumbh’ and in no time, she became a national sensation. Her family was unaware and frightened by this sudden fame. Monalisa recounts, “One night I was sleeping in my tent. The next morning I woke up to hundreds of media personnel standing outside with cameras. I thought some leader was coming or our tent was going to be removed.” When she realized that this crowd was for her, she felt more fear than joy. Offers for Films and Modeling
After returning from Kumbh, Monalisa started receiving countless offers for films and modeling. Initially, her family flatly refused, as they were unfamiliar with the world of glamour. But Monalisa convinced her mother, ‘I am going viral repeatedly, offers are constantly coming in. This is God’s will, my destiny is about to change.’ Finally, the family agreed and film director Sanoj Mishra offered her her first film. Today, Monalisa has done 3 films and is shooting for her next Telugu film in Hyderabad. However, even in this new world, she has laid down her conditions. Her first condition is that she will not wear Western clothes in any film. She signs the film only if the director agrees. Monalisa, who never saw the inside of a school, is now learning to read Hindi. Her dream is to build a school in her village so that no other girl like her is deprived of education. Regarding the allegations of exploitation against the director of her first film, she says, I don’t pay attention to these criticisms. My family is with me in every decision I make, and wherever I go for shooting, they are with me. Started a startup at the age of 19
25-year-old Tanya Mittal from Gwalior represents the young generation that can go to any extent to fulfill their dreams. Tanya, who studied architecture from Chandigarh, stepped into the world of glamour by winning the ‘Miss Asia Tourism’ title in 2018. At the age of 19, she launched her brand named ‘Handmade Love by Tanya’. Tanya’s true identity was established as a social media influencer. She created a 60-episode series on the ancient temples of India, in which she narrated the history, beliefs, and stories of the temples. This series was greatly liked by the audience, and she became a star influencer. Became the mastermind of Bigg Boss show
The biggest turning point in her life came when she got the opportunity to participate in India’s biggest reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2025. In the show, she narrated stories of her wealth and royal lifestyle with such exaggeration that the audience became curious to know about her. She described her Gwalior-based home as a ‘palace’ and ‘heaven’, compared to which even 7-star hotels pale. Due to her sharp mind and strategic gameplay, she came to be known as ‘Bigg Boss’s Mastermind’. She didn’t win the show, but by becoming a finalist, she won the hearts of millions. After coming out of the show, her popularity is skyrocketing. In media interviews, Tanya describes herself as a ‘self-made’ woman. She claims that she started her business with just 500 rupees and today she owns a multi-crore company. Today, Tanya is a successful entrepreneur, a top influencer, and a youth icon. She is earning millions through brand promotions, events, and motivational speaking.