Gaurav Khanna: post-MBA graduate to television actor and Bigg Boss 19 2009 participant
There are many actors that have risen to fame in Indian television, but there is an exception and that is Gaurav Khanna. A combination of diligence, talent, and hard work continues to describe Khanna who is one of the most popular stars on Indian television today. His recent participation in Bigg Boss 19 has made him once again the center of public discussion and the development of his career demonstrates that he remains a very active participant in the industry after twenty years.
Birth and schooling.
Gaurav Khanna was born on 11 th December 1981 at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Born in a middle-class family, he was oriented towards studying since the early age. His father Vinod Khanna was a business person, and his mother Shashi Khanna gave him courage and emotional support in his pursuit of interest.
Khanna spent some time in school and then attained MBA in Marketing. Such an educational orientation first resulted in his employment as a marketing manager in an IT company. Gaurav seemed to get a relatively solid lifestyle for a few months. Fate was going to have it otherwise
Change of Home to Entertainment
Gaurav Khanna took up a job in the IT industry; this gave her interest in the world of modeling. What started as minuscule modeling projects subsequently led to take acting into consideration. On the suggestion of friends and market insiders, he auditioned to work and appear in television shows and commercials.
It was in 2006 when he made his acting debut in the daily Soap Bhabhi which gave him a starting off in his entertainment progress. Unlike most of the aspiring actor who take years to be heard, Khanna only took a few months to make his mark due to his calm screen and expressive acting.
Breakthrough Television roles
Gaurav Khanna has suddenly become one of the hottest stars working in Bollywood; he has bagged petite roles in some of the most popular shows:
Kumkum - Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan: One of his basics projects that have helped him garner some visibility.
Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam: We have seen his romantic side of the acting.
Meri Doli Tere Angana and Santaan: Gave an extra dimension to his range and showed his multi-dimensionality.
Khanna is well recognized among the Indian households as Senior Inspector Kavin.
However, the tides have changed when it comes to him being casted in the blockbuster show Anupamaa in the role of Anuj Kapadia. This character immortalized, and people loved his performance. Khanna, with emotional depth, natural acting and chemistry with co-stars, became one of the discussed actors in recent years.
Awards and Recognitions
His role of Anuj Kapadia not only captured the hearts but even awards. In 2023 and 2025 he won the Indian Telly Award in Best Actor in a Lead Role (Jury). These identifications put him in the list of leaders of Indian television.
Industry players have not been found fault of attributing this balance to his slighted expressions and his good dialogue delivery to his characters, which makes them memorable to the audience.
Celebrity MasterChef India: Another Face of Gaurav
In 2025, Gaurav took the fans by surprise when he joined Celebrity MasterChef India. Most people did not expect him to do so well as a cook since his fame is more focused on the television role. However, he did not only take part in the competition: he won it
His experience in cooking portrayed his organizational character and how he handles situations. A personal secret that he also revealed in the show was the fact that he is color-blind. Basic things such as recognizing traffic lights had never been easy but he never used it as a hindrance in his life and career. This sincerity earned him respect to an even higher degree among his listeners.
Bigg Boss season 19 The Bold Step
Gaurav Khanna came as a shock to his fans in August 2025 when he entered Bigg Boss 19. A reclusive and quiet person, no one would have expected him to form part of one of the most talked about and pressure-filled reality shows in Indian television.
Khanna also expressed his nervousness at meeting Salman Khan before his entry into the house, claiming that it was one of the most nerve racking experiences of his life. He also stated that he was invited into previous seasons but this time settled to participate in it because it suited him perfectly.
He was mature, calm, and clear in the first week itself, which was quite differentiating, and obviously an impressive fact of the talk. His arrival met with a lot of excitement by supporters who were moved by his boldness to take a step out of his comfort zone.
He had his own personal life and family.
Gaurav Khanna although a famous face has managed to retain balance in his personal life. In 2016, he got married to actress Akanksha Chamola who is best known to have played the role of Swaragini. Their wedding was in Kanpur to which close friends and family were invited.
The stars upload snaps of their life on social media and people admire their plain lifestyle. Family has been a good support system to Khanna and marriage reflects stability in an industry with its volatility.
Presence on social media
Gaurav Khanna is an active user of social networks such as Instagram where he posts his fitness news, backstage plans and personal thoughts. His celebrities like his professionalism and authenticity. Khanna does not use glamour to define her personality as many celebrities would do.
What about Gaurav Khanna?
1. Career Path Unique Journey: MBA graduate and IT professional to awarding-winning actor.
2. Versatility: She has had success on acting, reality television and even cooking competitions.
3. Relatability: Is honest about personal issues such as color-blindness.
4. Stability: The entertainment industry has enjoyed more than a decade of stable contribution.
5. Bases Life on: Family, realism and honest relationships.
The Influence of Gaurav Khanna on Indian Television
Khanna has over time demonstrated that it is not everytime about glamour in acting and more importantly sincerity and discipline. His rise to dominating roles denotes his hard work. His presence in Anupamaa also transformed the viewers outlook towards mature kinds of love stories on Indian television.
Industry insiders feel that his story can serve as an inspiration even to aspiring actors whose backgrounds might not be in film or acting. The fact that he was able to reinvent himself--as a corporate professional to actor, then chef to reality star-- is an example of how persistence can still close previously unknown opportunities.
Gaurav Khanna Faqs
Who is Gaurav Khanna?
Gaurav Khanna is an Indian television actor, who is a Kanpur-based actor who featured in CID and Anupamaa. He has also been in Bigg Boss19 hit and awarded as the best chef in Celebrity MasterChef India 2025.
How old is Gaurav Khanna?
He was born on the 11th of December 1981 meaning that that is 43 years old by 2025.
What is his educational?
Khanna began his acting career after completing MBA in Marketing.
What was the first show ofuded evolutionary TV?
He started acting in 2006 in Bhabhi.
Which role of his is the most famous?
He became famous because of his portrayal of Anuj Kapadia in Anupamaa which can be seen as his most recognizable role.
Has he received any awards?
And, he has won the Indian Telly Award for the Best Actor (Jury) in 2023 and 2025.
Is Gaurav Khanna married?
He was married to actress Akanksha Chamola in 2016.
What is he doing in Bigg Boss 19?
He appeared on Bigg Boss 19 in order to test himself both as an individual and as a business personality as well as to get into a different aspect of his career.
Conclusion
Gaurav Khanna is a story of persistence, growth and genuineness. Nevertheless, he peddles on in his classrooms in Kanpur as well as on the sets of the biggest television dramas, in cooking competitions as well as inside the unpredictable Bigg Boss house.
Khanna has set an example in the industry where ambitions lead people to overnight fame but stays true to the fact that persistence and honesty create long-lasting stardom. His fanbase is constantly growing and his visits and appearances on more and more TV reality shows are silver proofs of that.
To the viewers, Gaurav Khanna is not merely an actor, but an image of ambition, honesty and perseverance.
