Bigg Boss 16 contestant Abdu Rozik was bullied for his size - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Bigg Boss 16 contestant Abdu Rozik talks about his medical condition that stopped him from growing

Oct 02, 2022 12:36 PM IST

Bigg Boss 16 contestant Abdu Rozik was bullied for his size in his teens and then he decided to take up boxing. He used to sing in the streets of Tajikistan in his childhood to support his family.

Ahead of the grand premiere of his show on Saturday, Salman Khan had introduced the first contestant of Bigg Boss 16 - singer Abdu Rozik. At the launch event earlier this week, Salman talked about his association with Abdu but did you know about his struggles? Abdu was bullied as a child, so much that he could only get a few years of education. (Also read: Bigg Boss 16: Sajid talks about being kicked out of Housefull, not MeToo)

Abdu Rozik was bullied in his teens and decided to take up boxing.
Abdu Rozik was bullied in his teens and decided to take up boxing.

The 19-year-old singer was born in Tajikistan and has performed with some of the most reputed artists including AR Rahman, French Montana, Will I AM and Redone, over the past two years. Abdu’s initial tryst with fame was during his public spat at a boxing press conference in Moscow with his opponent that amassed over 400 million views worldwide.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Having been diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and rickets at the age of five, Abdu stopped growing. Not only was he bullied and mocked during his teens, but even his teachers refused to give him stationary or books believing it would be all a waste. As a result, he could only get three years of formal education.

Abdu's classmates would even beat him up on the way home from his school. His family had minimal means of survival and couldn’t afford any medical treatment for his disorder. Unable to read or write, Abdu started to hum his own tunes and write his own lyrics to block out the negativity and started to home school himself.

Talking about the bullying, Abdu had told HT Brunch last month, "I was in school when I realised I was shorter than the other kids. They were nice to me initially, and I also looked so cute. But then my school mates started making fun of me, and I got really sad. In order to fight the bullies, I wanted to show that I was strong. So, I took up boxing.”

Abdu had been singing in the street bazaars of Tajikistan to earn money and provide for his family when IFCM spotted him at the age of 17 and UAE's royal family's Yasmine Safia who owns IFCM decided to invest in his talent.

Talking about his Bigg Boss participation, Abdu said in a press statement, “I am excited and nervous but I can’t wait to embark on the next chapter of my life with Bigg Boss 16. Being short and small used to be such a hindrance as people always underestimated my aptitude. People always bad mouthed me as being the unfortunate child of God and mocked me for my disability throughout my childhood but now look where I have reached today. It’s all thanks to the grace of god, my fans and IFCM.ae who have believed in me when the world didn’t and taught me how to count my blessings every single day."

He added, "CEO and founder of IFCM Yasmine Safia of Dubai deserves a special mention for putting me in coaching classes for Hindi and English, mentoring my music, sports, acting and dance career and helping me breakthrough in the world performing market. She made me believe in myself and even taught me to count and to understand different currencies as I had been cheated badly in the past . She always taught me that my condition is a blessing not a curse as I was always told my whole life. With that confidence, I am here today standing tall in mind and spirit and proud to represent a forgotten community. I hope to win the hearts of the people of India with my life story and the people across the world can know the real me and understand that I've probably been through the worst already.”

Oscars 2024: From Nominees to Red Carpet Glam! Get Exclusive Coverage on HT. Click Here

Get more updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On