What do the contestants receive for their stay in the house, cut off from the world? If you have ever questioned what it is that Bigg Boss pays out, or how much of a fortune your favourite stars are making, you are at the right place!
Weekly Paychecks: Not all contestants are the same
Unlike what we see in most reality shows, which pay out the same to every person, Bigg Boss has a different model, which they are using. They are looking at the star power, past career, which a celebrity brings in, and also the public demand for that person to determine the pay. What we see is that each week is a different story for each contestant. Some are leaving the house with a small check, which makes the news, and others are walking out with what is almost a bonus.
In the 19th season of Bigg Boss (which is the most recent), we saw that payment varied greatly:
Top earners, including Gaurav Khanna, were reported to be charging in the range of 100 k to 150 k dollars a week, which is about 3.5 lakh per day!
Second-tier performers such as Amaal Mallik were getting around 8.75 lakh weekly.
At the mid-level, Ashnoor Kaur and Awez Darbar brought home around ₹6 lakh per week.
Others, including Tanya Mittal and Baseer Ali, did in the range of 3 6 lacs weekly.
At the bottom are some of the new employees who make between 1 and 2 lakh per week.
This range of reports shows that in Bigg Boss, some contestants are paid as much as 10 times what others get, which is based on how famous they are to begin with and what they can negotiate.
Prize Money vs. Paychecks: What do they take home?
Winning Bigg Boss gets you a cash prize, which is true. In fact, in Bigg Boss 19, the grand prize was put at around ₹50 lakh, a great amount for sure, but in many cases, what the top contestants walk away with from weekly fees is a larger sum.
Take, for example, Gaurav Khanna.
With an agreement for a weekly pay of ₹17.5 lakh for 15 weeks, which reports say he outearned by a total of over ₹2.6 crore!
Add the $500K prize, and what we see is that his total package grows by a large margin, which is to say that the weekly payout may in fact exceed the value of the final trophy.
This financial aspect of the model puts living in the house for a long time at an advantage, which, in turn, includes those players who may not end up winning the show.
Why the Pay Gap Exists
Salary differences may be accounted for by which of the following:
Popularity & Prior Fame
Stars that have large followings can demand more, which is because of the brought in and social media attention.
Audience Pull
Producers see value in contestants who become the centre of attention for issues of drama, romance, or humor which in turn increases TRP.
Negotiation Power
Agents and managers use past work and online presence to get better deals for celebrities.
This means, in fact, that Bigg Boss is a business affair as much as it is a fight for survival. Each player signs a contract before they step into the house.
Beyond the House: Post-Event Bonanzas
After Bigg Boss, life is what brings in great opportunities. We see many contestants get a sharp increase in brand endorsements, personal appearances, and social media deals post-season. For some, it is a career that gets launched off the back of the exposure they get on Bigg Boss, which in turn is more valuable than what they may have earned within the show.
Final Thoughts
Bigg Boss is a step beyond a typical reality show; it is a financial arena in which fame, negotiation, and airtime are a form of cash in themselves. We see big weekly cheques going to the top players or a more consistent payout for the not-so-well-known house members. Also, what they do with that time on the screen is a very interesting behind-the-scenes element of the franchise.
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