Do you know that it has been more than 15 years since the reality TV show Bigg Boss debuted in India? Inspired by the Dutch reality show Big Brother, Bigg Boss first aired on Sony TV in 2006. Its popularity soared after Shilpa Shetty emerged as the winner of Big Brother season 5 in 2007.
Over the years, Bigg Boss has become one of the most-watched reality TV shows in India. Although there has been a decline in viewership in recent times, there still exists a dedicated fan base that enjoys the show.
While many people primarily associate Salman Khan with hosting the show, the first season, which aired in 2006, was actually hosted by the very talented Arshad Warsi. Yes, you read that right.
You might not remember, but the first season featured contestants such as Rahul Roy, Ravi Kishan, Rakhi Sawant, Amit Sadh, Rupali Ganguly, Kashmera Shah, Bobby Darling, among others, and was hosted by Arshad Warsi. In 2007, when Shilpa Shetty won Big Brother, she replaced Arshad Warsi as the host of Bigg Boss. [Also Read: Arshad Warsi & 8 Talented Actors Sidelined By Bollywood]
In season 2, Arshad was replaced by Shilpa Shetty, and in season 3, Amitabh Bachchan took over as the host. Salman Khan hosted season 4, and in season 5, he was joined by Sanjay Dutt, making it the only season with two hosts. Since then, Salman Khan has continued as the sole host from seasons 6 to 16. He has exhibited extreme reactions towards contestants on the show, even threatening to quit on several occasions. Reports suggest that he demanded a significant salary, but he has remained the host throughout.
However, Bigg Boss was not the only successful project where Arshad Warsi was replaced. Despite his success in the original Jolly LLB film, Arshad Warsi was replaced by Akshay Kumar in the sequel, Jolly LLB 2. [Also Read: How Bollywood Failed Arshad Warsi, An Underrated Gem Of Bollywood]
In a conversation with the leading media house, Arshad took up the question of not doing ‘Bigg Boss’ and not playing the lead in ‘Jolly LLB 2’. Both the projects were hits, but Arshad did not appear in any of them. Arshad was replaced by Salman Khan in ‘Bigg Boss’, while Akshay replaced him in ‘Jolly LLB 2’.
Arshad explained, ‘Actually, that was the original plan. I would do the first part of Jolly LLB, and Akshay would do the second. Now, Jolly LLB 3 is in the making, and both Akshay and I are playing leads.’ [Also Read: Jolly Vs Jolly: The plot of new Jolly LLB 3]
Talking about why he was replaced in Big Boss, he said, he was shooting for a film in London and wasn’t available on the dates. He expressed his belief that Salman is the best host for the show, emphasizing that nobody can host like him. According to Arshad, reality shows require a host with Salman’s ‘Dabangg’ persona.
“As far as Bigg Boss is concerned, I could not do the second season because I had some other commitments. I had to go to London for a shoot. And I think Salman is the best host for the show. No one can host like Salman. Reality shows need a ‘Dabangg’ host like Salman.”, said Arshad
Over the years, Big Boss has evolved a lot. And, talking about how Bigg Boss has evolved and changed over the years, Arshad Warsi said, “It has become really difficult, the stakes are too high, the anxiety levels are high… and no one can be a better host than Salman Khan”. He further added, “There’s no one better than Salman Khan to host the show. You need a unique personality to tell a person to shut up. Salman does that.”
When asked if approached, he would host the show again, he said, “Yeah, why not? It’s an interesting show, a very interesting show. And like I said, there’s no better host than Salman Khan.”
In the recent time, has Big Boss lost its sheen? Do you watch the show? What do you think about it? Tell us in the comments below.