# Rubina Dilaik
**Rubina Dilaik** (born 1987) is an Indian television actress from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, known for playing Radhika in *[Chotti Bahu](https://www.edgepedia.org/chotti-bahu)* (2008) and Soumya, a transgender character, in *Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki*, and for winning the reality show *Bigg Boss 14* in 2021.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) • [2](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/gr8-womens-achievers/rubina-dilaik/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) |
| Breakthrough role | Radhika in Zee TV's *Chotti Bahu* (2008), after auditioning for the role in Chandigarh in early 2008[3](https://www.journeyline.in/newsdet.aspx?q=200142) |
| Signature role | Soumya, a transgender character, in *Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki*; the portrayal earned her an ITA Award[2](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/gr8-womens-achievers/rubina-dilaik/) |
| Reality television | Winner of *Bigg Boss 14* (2021) after a twenty-week run; fifth place in *Khatron Ke Khiladi 12*; returned as a challenger in *Khatron Ke Khiladi 15*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/khatron-ke-khiladi-15-contestant-rubina-dilaik-was-told-that-she-had-a-negative-face-10683836/) |
| Spouse and children | Married actor Abhinav Shukla on June 21, 2018; twin daughters Edhaa and Jeeva born 2023[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) • [5](https://www.boldsky.com/insync/exclusive-rubina-dilaik-said-yes-to-the-ward-in-seconds-heres-the-raw-truth-behind-why-170345.html) |
| Film | Starred in the film *Ardh* alongside Rajpal Yadav[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) |
## Early life and debut
Dilaik grew up in Shimla and received her early education in Shimla public schools.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) In early 2008 she auditioned for *Chotti Bahu* in [Chandigarh](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandigarh), and the role began her career. She has described the move to Mumbai as the real struggle: adapting to the lifestyle, culture, and work ethics of a competitive, glamour-driven industry in a short span.[3](https://www.journeyline.in/newsdet.aspx?q=200142) She appeared as a schoolgirl in [Falguni Pathak](https://www.edgepedia.org/falguni-pathak)'s *Dole Dole* music video, co-starring with [Shahid Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/shahid-kapoor), before her television debut.[6](https://www.zee5.com/global/tv-shows/details/choti-bahu/0-6-111)
## Chotti Bahu and early career
*Chotti Bahu*, a [Zee TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/zee-tv) drama about a [love triangle](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-triangle) between Dev and half-sisters Radhika and Vishakha, made Dilaik famous nationwide in the role of Radhika.[6](https://www.zee5.com/global/tv-shows/details/choti-bahu/0-6-111) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) Season 1 was a major success for the channel, and she returned for *Choti Bahu 2* in 2011.[7](https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/shakti-astitva-ke-ehsaas-kii/4914550/rd-at-9-i-love-you-harman-ji) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/) She later played Jeannie in *Jeannie Aur Juju* (2012–2014) and Divya Malhotra in *Punar Vivah: Ek Nayi Umeed* (2013).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/)
## Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki
In *Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki*, a [Colors TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/colors-tv) serial, Dilaik played Soumya, a transgender character, a choice she has called a risk that helped her understand the life and struggles of transgender people.[2](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/gr8-womens-achievers/rubina-dilaik/) • [3](https://www.journeyline.in/newsdet.aspx?q=200142) The portrayal won her an ITA Award, and the Indian Television Academy credits her with drawing on personal experience to create her characters' emotional depth.[2](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/gr8-womens-achievers/rubina-dilaik/) She worked on the show for four years and left in January 2020, saying the role she was playing no longer had creative scope.[8](https://businessupturn.com/entertainment/television/bigg-boss/bigg-boss-14-rubina-dilaik-gets-nostalgic-for-her-tv-show-shakti/) The show continued after her departure.[8](https://businessupturn.com/entertainment/television/bigg-boss/bigg-boss-14-rubina-dilaik-gets-nostalgic-for-her-tv-show-shakti/)
## Bigg Boss 14 and reality television
Dilaik entered the *Bigg Boss 14* house in 2020 together with her husband [Abhinav Shukla](https://www.edgepedia.org/abhinav-shukla), and the couple's mutual support became one of the season's defining storylines.[9](https://southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/13-20-15.pdf) She was often targeted on the show for being a television actress and a Colors channel face, and before the finale India Today noted she was positioned to become the sixth television "bahu" to win the trophy, after [Shweta Tiwari](https://www.edgepedia.org/shweta-tiwari), Urvashi Dholakia, Juhi Parmar, Shilpa Shinde, and [Dipika Kakar](https://www.edgepedia.org/dipika-kakar).[10](https://www.indiatoday.in/television/reality-tv/story/if-rubina-dilaik-wins-bigg-boss-14-she-will-be-6th-tv-bahu-to-take-home-bb-trophy-1771324-2021-02-20) She won the season after a twenty-week run.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/)
Reality formats became a continuing part of her career. She competed in the [Rohit Shetty](https://www.edgepedia.org/rohit-shetty)-hosted stunt show *Khatron Ke Khiladi 12* in 2022, finishing fifth, and returned for *Khatron Ke Khiladi 15* as a challenger, filming in [Cape Town](https://www.edgepedia.org/cape-town).[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/khatron-ke-khiladi-15-contestant-rubina-dilaik-was-told-that-she-had-a-negative-face-10683836/) • [11](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/telly-talk/rubina-dilaik-khatron-ke-khiladi-15-interview-article-154370800) She also won the couple-based reality show *Pati, Patni, Aur Panga*.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/khatron-ke-khiladi-15-contestant-rubina-dilaik-was-told-that-she-had-a-negative-face-10683836/)
## Motherhood and recent work
Dilaik became a mother to twin daughters, Edhaa and Jeeva, in 2023, and has said she consciously slowed down on full-fledged fiction projects afterward.[5](https://www.boldsky.com/insync/exclusive-rubina-dilaik-said-yes-to-the-ward-in-seconds-heres-the-raw-truth-behind-why-170345.html) • [12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/rubina-dilaik-i-am-not-craving-to-be-back-in-a-daily-soap/articleshow/131169835.cms) In 2026 she hosted *The Ward*, a nonfiction series that brought ten pregnant women together under one roof for ten days, which premiered on May 15 on The Little Adda Company's YouTube channel; she said she accepted the role almost immediately because it drew on her own experience of motherhood.[5](https://www.boldsky.com/insync/exclusive-rubina-dilaik-said-yes-to-the-ward-in-seconds-heres-the-raw-truth-behind-why-170345.html) • [13](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/rubina-dilaik-on-pregnancy-motherhood-fitness-one-thing-i-could-do-without-10698807/lite/)
She has not taken a fiction role since *Shakti*, saying she receives offers but is waiting for a script or character that excites her, and that *Shakti* remains her benchmark for the work she wants to do.[14](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133914382.cms) Her film work includes *Ardh*, opposite [Rajpal Yadav](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajpal-yadav).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/)
## References
1. [Rubina Dilaik, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3866466/)
2. [Rubina Dilaik, GR8 Women Achievers, Indian Television Academy](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/gr8-womens-achievers/rubina-dilaik/)
3. [Rubina Dilaik on Shakti Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki: It has influenced the industry at a micro level, Journeyline](https://www.journeyline.in/newsdet.aspx?q=200142)
4. [Rubina Dilaik was told that she had a 'negative face', The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/khatron-ke-khiladi-15-contestant-rubina-dilaik-was-told-that-she-had-a-negative-face-10683836/)
5. [Exclusive: Rubina Dilaik Said Yes To The Ward In Seconds, Boldsky](https://www.boldsky.com/insync/exclusive-rubina-dilaik-said-yes-to-the-ward-in-seconds-heres-the-raw-truth-behind-why-170345.html)
6. [Choti Bahu, ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/global/tv-shows/details/choti-bahu/0-6-111)
7. [RD AT#9, India Forums](https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/shakti-astitva-ke-ehsaas-kii/4914550/rd-at-9-i-love-you-harman-ji)
8. [Bigg Boss 14: Rubina Dilaik gets nostalgic for her TV show 'Shakti', Business Upturn](https://businessupturn.com/entertainment/television/bigg-boss/bigg-boss-14-rubina-dilaik-gets-nostalgic-for-her-tv-show-shakti/)
9. [South Asian Daily, January 2022 epaper](https://southasiandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/13-20-15.pdf)
10. [If Rubina Dilaik wins Bigg Boss 14, she will be 6th TV bahu to take home BB trophy, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/television/reality-tv/story/if-rubina-dilaik-wins-bigg-boss-14-she-will-be-6th-tv-bahu-to-take-home-bb-trophy-1771324-2021-02-20)
11. [Rubina Dilaik Describes Abhinav Shukla as a 'Fantastic Dad', Zoom TV](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/telly-talk/rubina-dilaik-khatron-ke-khiladi-15-interview-article-154370800)
12. [Rubina Dilaik: I am not craving to be back in a daily soap, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/rubina-dilaik-i-am-not-craving-to-be-back-in-a-daily-soap/articleshow/131169835.cms)
13. [Rubina Dilaik on pregnancy, motherhood, fitness and more, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/rubina-dilaik-on-pregnancy-motherhood-fitness-one-thing-i-could-do-without-10698807/lite/)
14. [I am waiting for a role that excites me, says Rubina, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/133914382.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames C to G*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license