Mumbai: Television host Mini Mathur has spoken about her husband, filmmaker Kabir Khan’s reaction to her victory on the reality show The Alliance, saying she had never seen him become so emotionally invested in any other project of hers.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Mathur said her win came as a surprise not only to her but also to her family, who had not expected her to manage the challenges of the show without her phone, loved ones and daily routine.

“I do not think anyone in my family expected me to survive without my phone, my people, my routine, and everything I hold close. When I came back, I was amazed to see how invested Kabir had become in the show. There were endless family WhatsApp conversations discussing every move made by every contestant. I honestly do not remember another project in my career where Kabir was this emotionally invested,” she shared.

She added that she was sure he was extremely proud of her, as were her children and the rest of the family. “To be honest, everything still feels surreal. I have only just stepped out of the house, and I had no idea what people outside were saying about me. This entire experience has given me a completely new lease on life.”

Reflecting on her approach to the game, Mathur said she played differently from many others. “I approached this game in a very different way. I never felt the need to scream, shout, play unnecessary politics, or get involved in everyone’s business. My biggest strength was that I genuinely enjoyed the arena challenges. I am a very competitive person, and that is exactly why I came on this reality show. I focused on playing my own game, while handling all the headquarters drama according to my personal moral compass.”

She maintained that she did not isolate anyone or get drawn into unnecessary conflicts. “I also did not have major arguments with anyone. Whenever I felt it was important to express my opinion, I did so.”

Mini Mathur emerged as the winner of the first season of Prime Video’s The Alliance, defeating Aly Goni and Ruhee Dosani in the grand finale.

Her account of the family’s involvement, particularly Kabir Khan’s close tracking of the show, offered a personal perspective on the support system behind her win and the unexpected intensity of the experience after weeks away from her usual routine.