Mohanlal Tells Bigg Boss Malayalam 8 Housemates to Drop 'Tashi' and Call Santhosh by His Original Name

Mohanlal Steps In Over Nickname

Bigg Boss Malayalam 8 contestant Santhosh, better known inside the house as 'Tashi', will now be addressed by his original name. In the latest weekend episode, host Mohanlal issued a stern warning to the contestant over his aggressive gameplay and told the housemates to stop using the nickname, instructing them to call him Santhosh instead.

The intervention came as Mohanlal confronted Santhosh over his aggressive behaviour and his comments about viewers. The host had also questioned his conduct and warned him about his behaviour around two weeks earlier, making this the second time he has pulled up the contestant on air.

How Santhosh Became Tosh, Then Tashi

Before entering the Bigg Boss house, Santhosh explained the story behind the name during an interview he gave as part of his stint on the pre-show Agnipareeksha. In the video, he said he did not feel his given name matched his vibe and attitude, and he recalled how people used to mock him because of it.

According to Santhosh, years ago his friends began calling him 'Tosh', a shortened form that eventually evolved into 'Tashi' — the name he has used for the past two years. When the host asked whether the name would evolve further, he firmly stated that Tashi would be his final name.

During the same interview, he also shared his ambition to take part in other popular reality shows after winning Bigg Boss Malayalam 8.

A Talking Point Beyond the House

With Mohanlal now insisting that the housemates use his original name, the contestant's journey from Santhosh to Tosh and eventually Tashi has attracted renewed attention among viewers, turning the nickname into a talking point outside the Bigg Boss house.

Bigg Boss Malayalam 8 had premiered with superstar Mohanlal welcoming 21 contestants from different walks of life, as reported at the time of the launch on 11 September 2026.