Prem Keetanu’s ensemble takes over Bigg Boss 20 as Veer Pahariya, Aafiya Sayed and Nikhil Vijay bring their camaraderie to the Weekend Ka Vaar

Prem Keetanu may be a love story at heart, but the makers were keen not to reduce it to just a hero-heroine outing when they took the film to Bigg Boss 20. Veer Pahariya and Aafiya Sayed arrived on the Weekend Ka Vaar stage with co-star Nikhil Vijay in tow, putting the film’s friendship track in the picture.

For Veer, Nikhil is more than the familiar supporting face in the cast. He plays his best friend and roommate, Mangal, and their camaraderie is one of the film’s recurring comic threads. In fact, the makers had already showcased that equation in Undi Bundi, the friendship anthem featuring Veer and Nikhil, which dives into the chaos and masti of hostel life.

That dynamic has also found favour with critics, with Nikhil being singled out for his comic timing and for bringing a lived-in quality to his friendship with Veer. One review described him as the actor’s “funny best friend”, while another noted that the bond between the two gives the film some of its most effortless moments.

So while Veer and Aafiya remain the romantic leads, Prem Keetanu is equally invested in the boys, their banter and the friendships that surround young love. Taking Nikhil along to Bigg Boss was, therefore, a neat way of putting that side of the film on the same stage because before love gets complicated, there’s usually a best friend around to make things considerably more entertaining.