Umar Riaz spent 2020 as a registrar in general surgery in a hospital in Mumbai. After eighteen months of that, he made it into the Bigg Boss house. Umar Riaz is the only participant in Bigg Boss till now who had the privilege of returning to an actual operating theatre.
He has an MBBS degree from the Government Medical College in Jammu and a Master of Surgery. He is also currently working as a surgeon. Umar is the elder brother of Asim Riaz, who was the runner-up in Bigg Boss 13. This is how most Indians came to know about him.
And here is the complete biography of him: Jammu, the medical education, the hospital stint, the stint in the reality show and finally the exit which half the nation termed as injustice.
Umar Riaz Bio Data:
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Umar Riaz |
| Profession | Surgeon, model, actor, television host |
| Date of birth | 1 January 1991 |
| Age | 35 |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Birthplace | Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Based in | Mumbai |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Father | Riaz Ahmed Choudhary, retired special secretary |
| Mother | Shabnam Naz |
| Brother | Asim Riaz, model and Bigg Boss 13 runner-up |
| Sister | Mahvish Choudhary |
| School | Delhi Public School, Jammu |
| Medical degree | MBBS, Government Medical College, Jammu |
| Postgraduate | Master of Surgery |
| Hospital | Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai |
| Bigg Boss 15 | Finished tenth after 98 days |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| @umarriazz91 |
Umar Riaz Physical Stats:
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) |
| Weight | 75 kg |
| Build | Athletic |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
It’s true that fitness can be inherited, and it is one of the reasons why both the brothers were selected to become models. He exercises rigorously and has even fronted campaigns for fitness along with the cosmetic surgery work he does.
Early Life In Jammu:
He was born on 1 January 1991 in Jammu.
The father of Umar is Riaz Ahmed Choudhary, who is a retired special secretary but is also identified as a politician in the past. The name of his mother is Shabnam Naz. He has a younger brother named Asim and a sister named Mahvish.
He mentioned that their family is of middle-class. What makes them unique is that two brothers chose two different directions from the same start, one went for medicine and another for modeling, finally landing on the same TV show. He once mentioned that he wanted to become a doctor from the beginning and he also wished to become a model during his teenage life.
Medical Training:
He studied at Delhi Public School in Jammu, and subsequently completed his MBBS course at Government Medical College, Jammu, between 2008 and 2013.
After this he proceeded to get a Masters in Surgery degree. This would mean seven to eight years of intensive medical studies before stepping foot into his acting career, which is what makes him stand out from all the others here.
And he himself mentions a fellowship in cosmetic surgery in his biography, so the medical studies did not cease with the beginning of his acting career.
The Hospital Years:
In 2018, he became a clinical assistant at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, becoming a senior registrar in general surgery by 2020.
The reason for the importance of this is the fact that he worked as a surgical senior registrar in Mumbai during the first wave of the pandemic when the city was in a chaotic state.
Nothing else in a reality TV biography of him can compare to that and this part of his biography is hardly ever covered in any detail.
How He Became Known:
He became a household name without making it through anything he himself did.
Umar managed his brother’s social media accounts when he was part of Bigg Boss 13 in 2019 and campaigned for him. His brother finished as runner-up, and he ended up gaining a fan base of his own during the season.
It is rather unusual to get into the limelight through such means, but what is more interesting about it is that he gained something most other contestants don’t: one year of experience observing the show from outside.
Modelling, Music Videos And Directing:
He started modeling in his twenties, collaborating with various established Indian photographers besides the work at the hospital.
His first stint in the screen world was in 2012 with a short film titled Last Remark. Since then, he has starred in music videos such as Gunaah Karde, shot by Dipesh Agarwal; Sky High, which is the work of his brother, Asim; Befikar Raho, shot by Jugni In; Eid Ho Jayegi, featuring Zareen Khan; Tu Mera Banja; and Wo Ishq, directed by Anwesshaa.
What is less popular about him is that he is a director too. He directed two short films: Night of Cups in 2015 and Some Beloved in 2017.
Bigg Boss 15:
He joined the Bigg Boss 15 house on 2 October 2021 and spent 98 days, ending up at the tenth position. The show lasted on Colors TV till 30 January 2022 and was won by Tejasswi Prakash, with Pratik Sehajpal as runner-up and Karan Kundrra coming in third.
He became one of the most voted contestants during the season. He won several popularity polls, earned himself fans who gave themselves the name Umar Army and made some of the friendships that made the season famous, especially with Karan Kundrra and Rashami Desai.
The Eviction:
His exit occurred during the second week of January 2022, and it is considered to be one of the most controversial moves that the show has ever taken.
It happened during the Ticket to Finale challenge, where Pratik Sehajpal splashed water at him. Umar reacted and, in response to that, both started to push each other, and the incident was classified by Bigg Boss production as physical violence. It was not about him being physically harmed, but rather about him attacking the other person, therefore, he had to pass a public voting that would be held during the weekend episode.
On 9 January, it was announced by Salman Khan that he was out. Both Rashami Desai and Karan Kundrra cried. Before leaving the show, he apologized to Pratik and the latter assured him that it was okay since they would see each other later on.
There was huge outcry regarding this decision; people used hashtags in order to claim that the move was unjustified. Some of the ex-contestants like Rajiv Adatia, Karanvir Bohra and Vikas Gupta were shocked. Gauhar Khan thought otherwise.
The father had publicly spoken during the week, requesting the officials to play fairly with his son but admitting at the same time that hitting and pushing are not allowed in the process. This is very much an unbiased statement from a parent in the midst of a national debate over his own son.
Umar expressed gratitude to his fans on X after this and remarked that he couldn’t believe that his audience would let him off.
After Bigg Boss:
The father had openly talked throughout the week and had asked the officials to be fair while playing with his son. However, he himself admitted at the same time that hitting and shoving are not part of the game. This is indeed a very neutral statement made by a parent amidst a national debate regarding his own son.
Umar had thanked his fans on X after all of this and said how he could not believe that his fans would get him off.
Umar Riaz And Asim Riaz:
Both the brothers have been constant supporters of each other.
Asim competed in Bigg Boss 13 in 2019 and emerged as the runner-up contestant after Sidharth Shukla. Umar managed Asim’s social media accounts and supported him from outside. After two years, their positions changed, where Asim supported Umar on social media during his stint and objected to his exit from the show.
Umar is featured in Asim’s song ‘Sky High’. They are the only brothers who have reached the later stages of different Bigg Boss shows.
Umar Riaz Net Worth:
The net worth of Umar Riaz is estimated between Rs 5 crore and Rs 8 crore, consisting of a surgical career, fees earned through reality TV appearances, brand endorsements, hosting work and music videos.
The unusual part of the revenue is the earnings through medicine, and those are considerable. As a senior registrar in general surgery working in a private hospital in Mumbai, he earns a salary which no other actor in television with similar fame earns. He has done a cosmetic surgery fellowship, and the earning potential is going up, not sideways.
The reality show got him the visibility but not the major earnings. The ninety-eight days spent in the Bigg Boss house are paid weekly fees, and the visibility earned made the endorsements possible.
The brand endorsements with a following of about two million are mostly related to fitness, grooming and health products which suit a practising physician well, thus getting better returns than just being an all round influencer.
Hostings and work on the screen top up the earnings. He has listed an agency on Instagram and a work email address.
Career Timeline:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Born in Jammu on 1 January |
| 2012 | Debuts in the short film called Last Remark |
| 2013 | Graduates from the Government Medical College, Jammu, with an MBBS degree |
| 2015 | Makes the short film called Night of Cups |
| 2018 | Begins work at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai |
| 2019 | Manages the accounts of his brother, Asim Riaz, on Bigg Boss 13 |
| 2020 | Serves as senior registrar in general surgery during the pandemic |
| 2021 | Joins Bigg Boss 15 on 2 October |
| 2022 | Exits the show on 9 January in the tenth position |
Umar Riaz Social Media Handles:
| Platform | Handle |
|---|---|
| @umarriazz91 | |
| X | @realumarriaz |
| Umar Riaz |
His most active platform is Instagram, where he has about two million followers, and the bio includes both his management and his work email address.
Final Take:
But Umar Riaz is probably the most credentialed person featured on this website, and not because of TV.
He earned himself an MD, did a Master of Surgery, ran a hospital in Mumbai during a pandemic, and then appeared in a reality show as a side hustle instead of a savior. Few of the other participants have something they can go back to. He had his operating room.
His eviction is the most memorable thing about the whole episode, and the fairest interpretation of the situation was made by his own father – yes, the rule is there, and yes, it is harsh. But both of these were also true.
The fact that he has built for himself since is the part that really matters. Not some switch from medicine to entertainment, but running two successful careers side-by-side.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Umar Riaz is an Indian surgeon, model, actor and television host from Jammu. He has an MBBS degree from the Government Medical College, Jammu, as well as a Masters of Surgery degree, and served as a senior registrar in general surgery at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. He appeared in Bigg Boss 15 and he is the older brother of Asim Riaz.
Yes. He is an actual general surgeon, who received his MBBS from the Government Medical College, Jammu, as well as his postgraduate Master of Surgery. He started at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai in 2018 and became a senior registrar in general surgery by 2020, while the pandemic was ongoing. His present bio also includes a fellowship in cosmetic surgery.
His exit came following an incident with Pratik Sehajpal where Pratik had thrown water at him with force, and there was an exchange of pushing each other. It was categorised by Bigg Boss as a violent incident and he was put to a vote for staying in. His exit was announced on 9 January 2022 and he was ranked tenth after 98 days. It received much flak from the audience as well as some previous participants. He has since apologised to Pratik.
Yes. Umar Riaz is the older brother of Asim Riaz who came second in Bigg Boss 13 in 2020. He managed his brother’s social media pages during that season and got into the limelight he this process. Umar and Asim are also seen in the music video Sky High.
The net worth of Umar Riaz lies somewhere between Rs 5 crore to Rs 8 crore. One thing special about him as far as reality television personalities are concerned is that the money he makes through surgeries outweighs the money he earns as an entertainer. He earns the rest of the money through his role in Bigg Boss 15 and other hosting shows like MTV’s Date 2 Remember and more.
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