Each year, much of the buzz around Bigg Boss revolves around Salman Khan’s hosting fee. Recent reports suggested that the actor demanded between ₹120 crore and ₹150 crore for season 19. In an interview, Bigg Boss 19 producer Rishi Negi from Banijay Asia and EndemolShine India addressed the ongoing speculation about Salman’s pay and also discussed the Weekend Ka Vaar episodes.

The latest season, titled Bigg Boss: Iss Baar Chalegi Gharwaloon Ki Sarkar, premiered on August 24, 2025. It first streams on JioHotstar before airing on Colors TV. When asked if Salman earns around ₹150–200 crore for the season, Rishi avoided revealing figures but praised the star’s importance to the show. He said, “That contract is between him and JioHotstar, so I don’t know the details. But whatever the rumour is, he’s worth every penny. As long as he’s part of my weekend episodes, I’m happy.”

Rishi also revealed that Salman keeps himself updated on what’s happening inside the house. “He tries to watch the episodes regularly. If he can’t, he goes through an hour or two of footage with us on weekends to catch all the main highlights. He also receives feedback from people he knows who follow the show closely.”

According to Rishi, Salman has a strong understanding of what’s going on with the contestants and often shares his opinions. “He has a clear perspective. We have ours as creators, and we also consider the constant feedback from viewers. All of this together helps us plan the weekend episodes,” he said. Dismissing claims that the show is scripted, Rishi added, “Anyone who knows Salman knows it’s impossible to make him say something he doesn’t believe in. We discuss and debate everything before shooting.”

This season’s theme, Gharwaloon Ki Sarkar (“The Housemates’ Government”), gives contestants more control over the house and its rules. The set, designed by Omung Kumar and Vanita Garud, features a “Cabin in the Woods” look with an Assembly Room for debates, an App Room for the most popular contestant, and no jail this time.

The show began with 16 participants from different entertainment backgrounds, including actors Abhishek Bajaj, Natalia Janoszek, and Neelam Giri; singers Amaal Mallik, Ashnoor Kaur, Farhana Bhatt, Gaurav Khanna, Kunickaa Sadanand, and Mridul Tiwari; influencers and choreographers Awez Darbar and Nagma Mirajkar; reality TV star Baseer Ali; model Nehal Chudasama; comedian Pranit More; model Tanya Mittal; and writer Zeishan Quadri. Later, Shehbaz Badesha and Malti Chahar joined as wildcards.