Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is the highest-paid television host in India, earning a whopping ₹5 crore per episode for the 17th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati. With five episodes a week, his weekly paycheck will reach an astonishing ₹25 crore. Bachchan has been the host of KBC since its inception in 2000, except for the third season, which was hosted by Shah Rukh Khan.
Other high-earning television hosts in India include Salman Khan, Kapil Sharma, Karan Johar, and Rohit Shetty. Khan earned ₹12 crore per Weekend Ka Vaar episode during Bigg Boss OTT Season 2, which translates to a weekly income of around ₹24 crore. Sharma is said to be earning ₹5 crore per episode for his Netflix show, The Great Indian Kapil Show. Johar earns ₹2-3 crore for each episode of Koffee With Karan, while Shetty makes around ₹50 lakh per episode for the reality stunt show Khatron Ke Khiladi.
Bachchan's earnings for KBC 17 have surpassed Khan's earnings for Bigg Boss OTT Season 2. However, it's worth noting that Khan only films for one to two days a week for Bigg Boss, unlike Bachchan who hosts KBC for a longer duration. The earnings of these TV hosts are a testament to their popularity and demand in the industry.
The TV industry is home to some of the highest-paid hosts in the country, with Bachchan and Khan leading the pack. Other hosts like Sharma, Johar, and Shetty are also earning significant amounts for their shows. With the rise of streaming platforms, the demand for talented hosts is on the rise, and these individuals are reaping the benefits.