Ashay Sewlall
South African footballer (born 2001)
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Ashay Sewlall (born 5 February 2001) is a South African professional footballer, content creator and television personality who played as a defender for Richards Bay. He was a housemate on Big Brother Mzansi season 6.
5 February 2001
- Footballer
- content creator
- television personality
Ashay Sewlall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Ashay Sewlall 5 February 2001 Richards Bay, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other names | Paprika | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years active | 2020–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
2020–2025: Club career
Sewlall began his professional football career in 2020 when he was primarily playing for Richards Bay when he signed his first professional contract at age 18 and eventually captained the club's U23 team in the Diski Challenge.[1][2] He helped the club win the National First Division for 2021–22.[3] He was part of the squad that earned promotion to the Premier Soccer League and won the SALGA Games.[4][5] In June 2025, he transitioned to long distance running by completing the Comrades Marathon, a 89 km down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.[6][7]
2026–present: Big Brother Mzansi season 6
In January 2026, Sewlall entered the Big Brother Mzansi season 6 (Bazozwa) making history as the first Indian contestant in history of Big Brother Mzansi.[8] He quickly established himself as a fan favorite, earning the nickname "Paprika" for his energetic personality and spicy vibes.[9][10] He brang creative in the house as he was declared as the winner of Chillers Punch challenge with "Pele Pele" design.[11] He celebrated his birthday where he won the Berocca's task with R3 000 cheque.[12] He became the first and the only contestant to win the Head of the House challenge in Big Brother Mzansi history.[13][14] He got evicted with Mmeli before the last week of the finale.[15][16]
Public image
Sewlall is defined by his reputation as a charismatic and made history as the first Indian housemate on Big Brother Mzansi season 6.[17][18] He is referred as "Paprika", this persona further reinforced by his dominant efforts and his transition into a digital content creator, earning him a nomination for Top African Reality TV Personality at the 11th Africa Golden Awards while he was still in the house.[19]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026–present | Big Brother Mzansi season 6 | Contestant | Evicted, 9th week |
Honours
Richards Bay
- National First Division: 2021–22 [20]
Awards and nominations
| Association | Year | Category | Nominated works | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa Golden Awards | 2026 | Top African Reality TV Personality | Himself | Pending | [21] |