As Salman Khan‘s Bigg Boss 19 nears its two-week mark, the drama inside the house is rivaled only by the buzz around the contestants’ salaries. According to reports, TV actor Gaurav Khanna is the highest-paid contestant this season, commanding a staggering fee that places him among the top earners in the show’s history.
Khanna, who recently won Celebrity MasterChef, is reportedly receiving ₹17.5 lakhs per week for his stint on the show, which breaks down to an impressive ₹2.5 lakhs per day. Sources have also hinted that this high-stakes deal came with a promise of a new show on either Star or Colors once his Bigg Boss journey concludes.
The Pay Scale: From A-Listers to Newcomers
While Gaurav Khanna leads the pack, other contestants are also earning significant amounts. Music composer Amaal Mallik is reportedly the second-highest-paid contestant, with a weekly fee of ₹8.75 lakh, translating to approximately ₹1.25 lakh per day. Influencers Awez Darbar and Ashnoor Kaur are also said to be among the top earners, reportedly bagging ₹6 lakh per week.
In a broader context, Gaurav Khanna’s salary places him sixth on the list of all-time highest-paid contestants on Bigg Boss. The undisputed queen of high earnings remains Pamela Anderson, who pocketed a jaw-dropping ₹2.5 crore for just three days on Bigg Boss 4.
In-House Drama and Shifting Alliances
Beyond the paychecks, the house is already a hotbed of conflict. A major fight recently erupted between Farrhana Bhatt and Baseer Ali, leading to damage to personal belongings and an escalation that shocked the housemates. Adding to the tension, Kunickaa Sadanand was disqualified from a captaincy task, which allowed Ashnoor Kaur to secure immunity.
The contestants have also begun forming distinct groups, with Gaurav Khanna’s team including Abhishek Bajaj, Nagma Mirajkar, Farrhana Bhatt, and Mridul Tiwari. A rival faction has formed with Amaal Mallik, Zeishan Quadri, Baseer Ali, Nehal Chudasama, and Ashnoor Kaur. Meanwhile, a third group with Kunickaa Sadanand, Tanya Mittal, Neelam Giri, and Pranit More has also emerged, promising more drama and shifting loyalties in the weeks to come.