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Every season of Bigg Boss has its share of drama inside and outside the house — and host Salman Khan is often at the heart of both. Whether it’s speculation about his massive paycheque or accusations of favoritism, the superstar continues to stay in the spotlight. In a recent chat with India Today, Rishi Negi, CEO of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, shed light on the ongoing debates surrounding Salman’s involvement in Bigg Boss 19.
On claims of Salman Khan being a biased host
Salman has often been accused of taking sides — from favouring certain contestants like Kunickaa Sadanand to being particularly stern with others. Addressing these claims, Rishi explained that Salman is deeply involved in understanding the dynamics inside the house.
“He does try to catch the episodes, and when he doesn’t, he watches an hour or two of ‘big points’ of footage before going on floors,” he said, adding that the actor even takes feedback from people close to him who regularly follow the show.
Rishi further elaborated, “So, he has a huge buy-in on what’s happening in the house, what’s happening with the contestant. He has a point of view. We, as the creators of the show, have a point of view in terms of how we are viewing it. We also have a lot of audience feedback that keeps pouring in. So, putting all of that together is how we stitch the weekend together.”
Dismissing the repeated claims of bias, Rishi noted that such allegations are “nothing new.” As for whether Salman is prompted through an earpiece, Rishi firmly denied it, saying, “It’s not possible to make Salman say anything he doesn’t believe in.”
Is Salman Khan being paid 150 Crore for Bigg Boss?
Rumours have been rife that Salman Khan charges anywhere between ₹150–200 crore to host Bigg Boss each season. When asked about it, Rishi chose to remain diplomatic.
“This contract is between him and JioHotstar, so I am not privy to that. But whatever the rumour is, whatever it is, he is worth every penny. For me, as long as he is there on my weekend, I am a happy person,” he said.
Salman Khan’s long association with Bigg Boss
Salman first joined the reality show as host in Season 4 and co-hosted Season 5 with Sanjay Dutt. Since then, he has remained the face of the franchise, hosting every main season solo, while other spin-offs have featured hosts like Farah Khan, Karan Johar, and Anil Kapoor.
