Bigg Boss 20 Salman Khan fees: How much does the Bollywood superstar charge? Meet the highest-paid hosts across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and other languages

The countdown has already begun. Bigg Boss Season 20, hosted by Bollywood's Bhaijaan Salman Khan, is all set to premiere tonight (September 6). As fans wait to see the new batch of contestants enter the house, another question is also getting attention: how much does Salman Khan charge to host the popular reality show? Over the years, the franchise has featured several big names across different languages, with some commanding huge fees for their seasons.

Salman Khan's Bigg Boss 20 fee

Salman Khan has been the face of the Hindi version of Bigg Boss for several years, and his return for Season 20 has once again put the spotlight on his remuneration. According to a report by ABP Marathi, the Bollywood superstar is reportedly being paid Rs 120 crore for the entire season of Bigg Boss 20.

Salman's fee has increased considerably since he first took over as host. Reports suggest that during the initial seasons, he was paid around Rs 2.5 crore per episode. His remuneration reportedly went up significantly as the show's popularity grew and he became closely associated with the franchise.


For Bigg Boss 17, reports claimed that Salman was paid around Rs 200 crore. His reported fee for Bigg Boss 18 was even higher, at around Rs 250 crore. However, these figures are based on media reports and have not been officially confirmed by Salman Khan or the makers.

While Rs 120 crore for the latest season is still a massive amount, Salman is not the only Bigg Boss host to have commanded a hefty remuneration. The franchise has had several well-known personalities in its different regional versions.

Reported fees of Sourav Ganguly, Kamal Haasan and Vijay Sethupathi

The Bengali edition has also had some major names at the hosting desk. Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian cricket captain, hosted Bigg Boss Bangla Season 3. According to an earlier report by News18 Bangla, Ganguly reportedly signed a four-year deal with Star Jalsha worth Rs 125 crore.

He followed actors Mithun Chakraborty and Jeet, who had previously hosted the Bengali version of the reality show.

In Tamil, the show has also seen two major stars at the helm. Kamal Haasan hosted Bigg Boss Tamil for several seasons before stepping down. According to Deccan Chronicle, he was reportedly paid around Rs 130 crore for Bigg Boss Tamil Season 7.

Kamal Haasan was later replaced by Vijay Sethupathi, who took over as the host of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 8. According to Filmibeat Tamil, Sethupathi reportedly charges around Rs 3-4 crore per weekend, with his total remuneration for the season estimated at around Rs 75-80 crore.

These figures put both Tamil hosts among the biggest earners in the Bigg Boss franchise, although the reported amounts can vary between different media reports.

Nagarjuna, Mohanlal, Sudeepa and Riteish Deshmukh fees for Bigg Boss

The Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi editions have also attracted some of the biggest stars from their respective industries.

Nagarjuna has become synonymous with Bigg Boss Telugu and has hosted seven seasons of the reality show. According to Variety, his remuneration reportedly reached close to Rs 35 crore for an entire season in 2025. His popularity in Telugu cinema has made him one of the most recognisable faces of the regional franchise.

In Malayalam, superstar Mohanlal has been associated with Bigg Boss Malayalam since its launch in 2018. According to Variety, he reportedly earns nearly Rs 30 crore for an entire season. Despite the substantial fee, reports suggest that the actor shoots for only around 20 days during a season.

Kiccha Sudeepa has similarly been the face of Bigg Boss Kannada. According to Variety, he reportedly earns close to Rs 20 crore for an entire season, with his remuneration working out to around Rs 2 crore for each weekend episode.

The Marathi edition has also seen a change in its hosting lineup. Riteish Deshmukh took over as the host of Bigg Boss Marathi in 2024, replacing Mahesh Manjrekar. According to a News18 Hindi report, Riteish reportedly earns around Rs 50 lakh per weekend episode, with his total season fee estimated at Rs 8–10 crore.

Interestingly, a Hindustan Times Marathi report claimed that Manjrekar charged around Rs 25 lakh when he hosted Bigg Boss Marathi Season 4.

Meanwhile, Bigg Boss 20 is bringing more than just a new group of contestants. The new house follows a duality theme, with unusual elements such as Room No. 2 and Room No. 20, quirky furniture and a giant octopus holding chess pieces. The season is set to premiere on September 6 on JioHotstar and Colors, with Salman Khan returning to the hosting chair.