Who Is Raqesh Bapat? Bigg Boss Marathi 6 Finalist, Actor, and Everything You Need to Know About Him

Raqesh Bapat (born September 1, 1978) is an Indian actor, model, and artist who rose to fame with his debut in the Bollywood film Tum Bin. With a career spanning over two decades, he has successfully made his mark across Hindi and Marathi cinema, along with Indian television. Born in Amravati, Maharashtra, Raqesh displayed strong artistic talent from an early age. Before stepping into acting, he earned recognition in the modeling world by winning the Mr. Pune title and finishing as the first runner-up in both the Grasim Mr. India (1999) and Mr. International competitions.

Raqesh Bapat has been one of the most talked about contestants in Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6 (2026), hosted by Riteish Deshmukh. His journey in the house has seen many ups and downs. He had a major fight with Vishal Kotian during a task, where things got personal and even turned physical, leading to punishments for both. His ex-wife Ridhi Dogra also reacted and supported him. Another controversy happened when Anushree Mane accused him of touching her without consent, but Raqesh explained it was a misunderstanding while trying to wake her up. The situation affected him emotionally, but he stayed strong and continued in the game. He also reached close to the finale but lost the “Ticket to Finale” task to Tanvi Kolte.

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Raqesh Bapat has built a strong career across films, television, and reality shows. He made his Bollywood debut with Tum Bin and later appeared in films like Dil Vil Pyar Vyar and Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai. He also found great success in Marathi cinema with movies like Vrundavan and Savita Damodar Paranjape. On television, he became a household name with popular shows like Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar, Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak?, and Qubool Hai. In reality TV, he has been a familiar face in the Bigg Boss franchise, reaching the finale in Bigg Boss OTT Season 1 and Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6.

Raqesh Bapat was married to actress Ridhi Dogra from 2011 to 2019. After seven years of marriage, the couple parted ways amicably but chose to maintain a cordial and respectful relationship. They have often emphasized that despite the separation, they continue to support each other as friends, and their mutual respect has been evident in their public appearances and interactions.

Raqesh Bapat and Shamita Shetty, popularly known as “ShaRa,” met on Bigg Boss OTT Season 1 in 2021 and quickly became a fan-favorite couple. Their relationship continued for nearly a year outside the show before they announced their breakup in July 2022. Shamita later shared that while their bond felt strong inside the Bigg Boss house, they realized they were quite different in real life.