KBC's Amitabh Bachchan or Bigg Boss's Salman Khan, who is India's highest paid TV host? Their paychecks per episode compared
Amitabh Bachchan has officially become the highest-paid television host in India with his return to Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 17. Reports reveal he is earning ₹5 crore per episode, totaling Rs 25 crore weekly as the show airs five days a week. This surpasses Salman Khan's Bigg Boss OTT 2 earnings, where he was reportedly paid ₹12 crore per weekend episode, amounting to Rs 24 crore weekly. Despite earlier rumours of his exit, Bachchan remains the face of KBC, solidifying his legacy as both the heart of the show and the top-paid host in the country.
Amitabh Bachchan's KBC Pay Overtakes Salman Khan's Bigg Boss Earnings Amitabh Bachchan is all set to return to the television screen as the host of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) Season 17, which premieres on August 11, 2025. With this season, the legendary actor is not just reviving one of India's most-loved quiz shows but also reportedly becoming the highest-paid host on Indian television.A report from Siasat.com indicates that Bachchan will be earning approximately Rs 5 crore per episode for KBC 17. Given that the show is scheduled to air five days a week, his weekly earnings would add up to around Rs 25 crore. This marks a significant increase and officially places him ahead of Salman Khan in the race for the top-paid TV host title.
As per Siasat.com, Salman Khan, who commands a massive fan base and hosts Bigg Boss, had reportedly been paid Rs 12 crore per episode during Bigg Boss OTT 2. Since he appears twice a week, this would total around Rs 24 crore weekly. While still an enormous sum, Bachchan's more frequent appearances and slightly higher per-week earnings have put him in the lead this season.It's also worth noting that while Salman's hosting is limited to weekends, Bachchan's role in KBC demands five consecutive days of filming each week, contributing to the higher overall payout.Earlier this year, speculation circulated that Amitabh Bachchan might step down from KBC due to personal reasons. Some reports even suggested that Salman Khan was in advanced discussions to take over as the host of the show. However, these rumours were dismissed when Sony TV confirmed Bachchan's return with an official promo. The actor himself also put the speculation to rest by sharing photos from his rehearsals and stating that work had begun on the new season.Since its launch in 2000, KBC has become more than just a quiz show—it has evolved into a cultural staple. Hosted almost entirely by Amitabh Bachchan, except for the third season which was led by Shah Rukh Khan, the show has retained its charm for over two decades. Bachchan's iconic greeting—'Namaste Deviyon aur Sajjanon'—along with his empathetic hosting style, has contributed significantly to the show's emotional and intellectual appeal.To celebrate 25 years of the franchise, Bachchan reflected on the milestone in a short note, acknowledging the journey that began on July 3, 2000. His involvement continues to be the backbone of the show's popularity, with viewers across generations tuning in not just for the questions, but for his presence.While both Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan are among the most bankable names in Indian television, current figures suggest that Bachchan's KBC paycheck has placed him ahead of Khan's Bigg Boss remuneration—at least for now. With KBC 17 set to begin airing from Monday to Friday at 9 PM on Sony TV and SonyLIV, fans can look forward to another season with India's highest-paid host at the helm.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
10 minutes ago
- Economic Times
JioStar posts Rs 581 crore net profit in Q1 driven by IPL
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads JioStar, the joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and Walt Disney, reported a net profit of ₹581 crore for the quarter ended June, according to RIL's quarterly financial company recorded an EBITDA of ₹1,017 crore and operating revenue of ₹9,601 crore, driven by the strong performance of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. This comes despite ongoing challenges in the entertainment segment due to reduced FMCG advertising said the IPL delivered its highest-ever revenue across TV and digital this year. JioStar holds both TV and digital rights for the IPL in the Indian the TV entertainment segment continued to face pressure, the impact was offset by strong sports and subscription revenues. The company finalised subscription deals with all major distribution operators, aiding better monetisation and tighter cost the FY25 period spanning November 14, 2024, to March 31, 2025, JioStar reported a net profit of ₹229 crore on operating revenue of ₹9,497 crore, with an EBITDA of ₹774 November 14, 2024, RIL and Disney completed the merger of Star India and Viacom18, forming JioStar. RIL controls the JV with a 56% stake, Disney holds 37%, and the remaining 7% is owned by Bodhi Tree the latest quarter, JioStar's streaming platform, JioHotstar, saw its subscriber base surge to 287 million during the IPL season, fuelled by its hybrid advertising and subscription model with limited free access. On television, JioStar reached more than 800 million viewers during the company also expanded its footprint in the Free-To-Air (FTA) Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) segment with the relaunch of Star Utsav and Colors Rishtey on DD Free Dish. It had a 35.5% share in the entertainment TV 2025 marked a watershed moment for JioStar, achieving a combined reach of 1.19 billion viewers across TV—primarily Star Sports—and JioHotstar. The platform drew 652 million digital viewers, a 28% year-on-year increase, making it JioHotstar's most successful IPL season to television, the tournament delivered a 5.1 TVR and clocked over 514 billion minutes of watch time. The IPL 2025 final set a new digital benchmark, becoming the most-watched T20 match ever online with 237 million viewers and a peak concurrency of 55.2 million, surpassing the previous high of 35.9 million. The final also drew 189 million viewers on TV, making it the most-watched IPL match in broadcast the IPL, JioStar's sports portfolio featured marquee events such as the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final. The network also secured exclusive digital streaming rights for India's five-Test series against England from Sony Pictures Networks India, further strengthening its sports recorded its highest-ever monthly entertainment watch time in June 2025. The latest season of Criminal Justice delivered the strongest opening for any OTT original this year, according to Ormax Media, while Kesari 2 emerged as the most-watched film across all languages on the content continued to gain traction. Captain America: Brave New World debuted as the second most-watched film of the quarter, while Mufasa: The Lion King became the most-watched international film ever on Plus retained its leadership in the Hindi GEC segment, with six of the top ten shows during the general entertainment channels also performed strongly. Star Pravah, Star Jalsha, Star Maa, and Asianet continued to lead in their respective markets. The network also maintained its dominance in niche genres such as kids, youth, and English entertainment.
Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
AR Rahman shares excitement about collaborating with Hans Zimmer for Ramayana: ‘Who would have thought…'
Oscar winners AR Rahman and Hans Zimmer have joined forces to compose the music for Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, and Yash as Ravana. In a recent interview, Rahman opened up about working on Ramayana's music. In a conversation with Connect Cine, Rahman was asked about entering the 'Rahman 2.0' phase and how he is keeping pace with the rapidly changing music industry. 'I think I am born everyday. The whole world is changing everyday. A few thoughts have to go and new thoughts have to come,' he said. The singer added that he ensures his core remains constant despite the changes. 'But, the core of me is the same. What I believe in and what we can do with my music and how I can share it with people who love me, accept, or don't accept me. My efforts and the whole intention are the same. But, there are many other changes happening because the studios are different, artistes are different, the way they are recording is different, the way we vibe is different and the projects are different too.' ALSO READ | 'AR Rahman is chotta school ka bacha', says Anuradha Paudwal, recalls his teaching approach: 'Aap aisa gaa rahi hain…' Expressing his excitement about collaborating with Hans Zimmer for Ramayana, AR Rahman shared, 'Who would have imagined scoring with Hans Zimmer on a project like Ramayana, which is one of the biggest projects. It's our Indian culture and I am really proud of that project. I hope that everything goes well.' Rahman further shed light on the process of working with Zimmer. 'The first few sessions we had were great. The first session was in London, the second one was in LA, and the third was in Dubai. Wherever Hans travels, I also find a base there. He is very similar, I mean…how curious he is about the culture and how open he is to criticism. He also heads the narrative, where he says, hey I can't understand this, can I bring in a Western perspective?' Produced by Namita Malhotra and Yash, Ramayana also features Lara Dutta, Ravi Dubey, and Sunny Deol. The part one of the film is slated for a Diwali 2026 release and part two will be released in 2027.
Pink Villa
40 minutes ago
- Pink Villa
Will Mahesh Babu turn into Indiana Jones for SS Rajamouli's film? Alleged SSMB29 plot leak explored
SSMB29, starring Mahesh Babu in the lead role, is currently in the making under SS Rajamouli's direction. As more details about the movie are yet to be unveiled, a recent report has revealed its plot, and here's what it says. SSMB29: Mahesh Babu starrer's leaked plot According to a report by the Tanzanian portal, The Citizen, it read, 'Inspired by Indiana Jones and African adventure classics, the film follows a rugged explorer who sets out on a high-stakes mission through uncharted terrain, battling nature, mystery, and a powerful enemy to uncover a long-lost secret that could change the world.' As SSMB29 is currently in production, the movie is reported to begin shooting in East Africa with Mahesh Babu being joined by Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The shoot for the jungle adventure movie is expected to take place in the Serengeti first, and later move towards the Southern parts of Africa. More about SSMB29 Talking about the magnum opus, SSMB29 is touted as one of the biggest cinematic ventures ever envisioned in Indian cinema. Aiming to portray a never-before-seen experience, the movie is speculated to be made on a budget of Rs 900-1000 crore. Initially, the film was said to be releasing in theaters as a two-parter with the shoot going up until the end of 2026 and hitting the big screens in 2027 and 2028, respectively. However, we at Pinkvilla exclusively reported that the makers have moved away from the decision and will release it as a single film, likely with a long runtime. Apart from Mahesh Babu, the adventure film will have Priyanka as the co-lead with actors like Prithviraj and R Madhavan in key roles. Recently, it was also reported that similar to Kurchi Madathapetti, Mahesh Babu will have a solo dance number in the SS Rajamouli directorial. The track is said to be a massy number with several dancers alongside him. Moreover, it has been speculated that Mahesh Babu has decided not to use any body doubles for the adventure movie and will do his own stunts.
