The beloved reality show, Bigg Boss, is back for another season, promising drama, intrigue, and the chance to win a coveted cash prize. Bigg Boss 18, hosted by the ever-popular Salman Khan, is set to premiere on Sunday, October 6th. While the show’s format and contestants have evolved over the years, the winning prize money has also seen its share of changes. Here’s a look at the cash prize amounts awarded in the last 17 seasons of Bigg Boss, highlighting its evolution.
The first season of Bigg Boss, aired in 2007, saw actor Rahul Roy emerge as the winner, taking home a prize of ₹ 1 crore. The show was hosted by Arshad Warsi. The following season, hosted by actress Shilpa Shetty in 2008, saw Ashutosh Kaushik claim the title and the ₹ 1 crore cash prize. In 2009, the third season, hosted by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, saw Vindu Dara Singh win the coveted prize of ₹ 1 crore. The show’s fourth season, hosted by Salman Khan for the first time, featured television actress Shweta Tiwari as the winner, who also bagged the ₹ 1 crore prize.
The pattern of ₹ 1 crore cash prize continued for the next four seasons. Juhi Parmar won season 5, Gauhar Khan won season 7, Gautam Gulati won season 8, and Prince Narula emerged victorious in season 9. In season 10, the prize remained the same with Manveer Gurjar being crowned the winner.
From season 11 onwards, there was a significant shift in the cash prize amount. Season 11, won by actress Shilpa Shinde, saw a reduction in the prize money to ₹ 44 lakh. The trend continued in subsequent seasons, with varying cash prizes awarded. Dipika Kakkar won season 12 with ₹ 30 lakh, Sidharth Shukla won season 13 with ₹ 50 lakh, Rubina Dilaik won season 14 with ₹ 36 lakh, Tejaswi Prakash won season 15 with ₹ 40 lakh, MC Stan won season 16 with ₹ 31.8 lakh, and Munawar Faruqui won season 17 with ₹ 50 lakh.
The changing prize money reflects the show’s evolution, highlighting the evolving dynamics of reality television. But it’s not just the winning amount that attracts attention; the salaries of the contestants also generate buzz. Here are some of the highest-paid contestants in Bigg Boss history:
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Pamela Anderson:
The Canadian-American actress reportedly received a whopping ₹ 2.5 crore for her three-day stay in the Bigg Boss house. This made her the highest-paid contestant in the show’s history.*
Rimi Sen:
The Dhoom actress, who featured in Bigg Boss 9, was reportedly paid ₹ 2 crore for her participation.*
The Great Khali:
The professional wrestler was reportedly paid a hefty ₹ 50 lakh per week during his stay in the Bigg Boss house.*
Sreesanth:
Similar to The Great Khali, the cricketer was also reportedly paid ₹ 50 lakh per week during his time on the show.*
Karanvir Bohra:
The popular television actor was reportedly paid ₹ 20 lakh per week for participating in Bigg Boss 12.These high-paying contestants add to the star power of the show, attracting viewers and increasing the overall buzz surrounding the reality series. As Bigg Boss 18 gets underway, it will be interesting to see how the cash prize and the salaries of contestants further shape the show’s narrative and attract audiences.
