Akash Dadlani is an Indian rapper. He is well known for participating in the controversial reality TV show, Bigg Boss 11, where he built a reputation of being a “bad boy”. In 2022, he won an award for the music video of his song, Dosti Friends.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Akash Anil Dadlani was born in 1993 (age 31 years; as of 2024). Akash did his schooling at the Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio, Texas and then at the Albemarle High School in Albemarle, North Carolina. He moved to India in 2011 where he studied in a college in Mumbai as part of a student exchange programme but dropped out to pursue his rap career.
Akash Dadlani when he was in school
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 65 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
He was born into a middle-class Sindhi family.
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Anil Dadlani, he met with an accident and passed away when Akash was 2 years old. His mother’s name is Sunita Dadlani. He has an elder sister.
Akash Dadlani (Childhood) with his parents and sister
Career
Music
In 2011, Akash dropped out of college to begin rap as a career. He aimed to become an International Indian Rapper. His rap name is ACA$H. After struggling a lot, he got a chance to work with the popular Bollywood band Meet Brothers. When Akash was on Bigg Boss, he claimed to have helped the Meet Brothers with the song Chittiyan Kalaiyaan. When co-contestant Vikas Gupta made fun of him for taking credit on the song, he clarified that he helped them with a couple of lines. In response, one of the Meet Brothers, Manmeet Singh said,
It’s absolutely rubbish yaar. He used to come and learn music here. So when we made the tune to write the rap, he also wrote something but we didn’t use it because he is not a professional. He is still learning. We try so many people, you know. We call some five singers to sing the song. When we don’t like it we don’t keep it so his was something we didn’t like because he still doesn’t have that flair. So it’s not true what he is saying.” [1]Filmibeat
Akash Dadlani (centre) and Meet Brothers
He also worked with the famous Punjabi singer Sukhwinder Singh.
Akash Dadlani (left) and Sukhwinder Singh during a concert
In 2018, he rapped in the song “BANG BANG” under his artist name, ACASH. In 2019, he sang the song “Naagin Dance” with Purnima Solanki and starred in its music video. He also put out the song Dosti Friends and starred in the music video. In 2022, he put out the song Mumbai Dreaming.
Akash Dadlani on the video of his song, Mumbai Dreaming
Television
In 2012, he participated in the reality show Superdude which aired on UTV Bindass. He participated in the 2017-18 reality TV show Bigg Boss 11 (Padosi Bajayenge Barah) as a “commoner”. On the very first day, he was sent to “jail”. He started gaining popularity for creating controversial situations and fighting with co-contestants. After facing a public vote, he was evicted on Day 101, in the final week (Week 15).
Akash Dadlani (right) with Salman Khan in Bigg Boss 11
Tennis
When Akash Dadlani was younger, he pursued his interest in playing tennis and won many competitions. He was a part of the Albemarle Bulldogs tennis team at Albemarle High School. He participated in the 2009 RRC Championships, where he won the competition and was named the 2008 Player of the Year. When he was 16, he participated in the 2009 Tennis State Level Championship held in Texas and won the competition. He was named the 1A Singles Tennis Champion.
A newspaper clipping reporting Akash Dadlani’s tennis win in school
Award
In 2022, he won an award for Outstanding Direction and Excellent Performance for his music video, Dosti Friends, at the WOW Awards.
Akash Dadlani (left) and Rishav Agrawal posing with their WOW Awards
Controversies
Issues On Bigg Boss
In December 2017, he forcibly kissed co-contestant Shilpa Shinde in the Bigg Boss 11 house. Shilpa also accused him of being a “panty-sniffer”. When asked about his actions at a press conference, Akash admitted to making a mistake and stated that he did not have any “bad intentions”. He faced criticism when he body-shamed his co-contestant Benafsha Soonawalla by calling her a “flat screen TV”. He also called her “unhygienic, crazy and stinky”. He then faced criticism for forcibly kissing co-contestant Lucinda Nicholas and making her feel uncomfortable.
Images of Akash Dadlani flirting with Lucinda Nicholas during Bigg Boss 11
He also asked her to kiss him in exchange for a vote in her favour. Lucinda complained that Akash had crossed a line with his flirting. Speaking of his behaviour, Lucinda said,
Initially it was funny the way he sang for me but it slowly turned really dirty. He kept asking me to kiss him and even when I said no, he kept on persuading me. It was disgusting when he told me that a girl’s no actually means yes. That’s a very cheap thought and I am relieved to get away from him.” [2]NDTV
He also made comments about Vikas Gupta‘s sexuality and got into fights with Vikas and Priyank Sharma. Priyank was evicted from the show for pushing Akash.
A fight between Akash Dadlani (extreme right) and Priyank Sharma (extreme left) on Bigg Boss 11
Relationship To Singer Vishal Dadlani
On Bigg Boss 11, Akash stated that he was related to the singer Vishal Dadlani. He claimed to be the singer’s “dead brother’s son”. Vishal replied to his statement on Twitter and said that he has never had a brother and that their connection is very distant.
This is for all at @BiggBoss and for the people who watch it. pic.twitter.com/M9gfGIbHGl
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) October 11, 2017
While on the show (Bigg Boss) with her son, Akash’s mother, Sunita said Vishal was lying about never meeting Akash. She also stated that she has proof of Akash and Vishal being cousins. She said,
I even have proof that Akash and Vishal are cousins. I have Vishal and his family’s photographs in my wedding album.”
Sunita Dadlani, with her son, Akash Dadlani, on Bigg Boss 11
Drunk On Set
In January 2018, he reportedly showed up drunk on the set of Entertainment Ki Raat, after which, he was thrown out. Later, he clarified this news and said,
I was not thrown out. I chose to walk out after reading the script as I did not like it. Usme bahut beizzati ho rahithi (The script was very humiliating for me). They were making fun of me, a lot. I have just come from Bigg Boss 11, there we saw Salman Khan did a lot of masti and beizzati of me. Main har jagah apni masti aur beizzati nahi karva sakta. I refused to do the rap. I know Balraj, he is a friend, we have played cricket together. He told me they would make fun of me. I left the sets with my team… My mother and my friends had got first row seatings for the show but then my mother asked me to not do it and I respect my family and loved ones.” [3]India Today
Facts/Trivia
- He enjoys playing tennis and singing.
- Salman Khan’s nickname for Akash on Bigg Boss 11 was “Dadlani Khandaan Ka Chirag”.
- Sachin Tendulkar is his all-time favourite cricketer.
- As of March 2024, Akash has 516K followers on Instagram.
