The Bigg Boss reality show has often been a topic of debate with many accusing its makers of often resorting to staged shenanigans to grab the much-needed TRP. The show is currently in its 12th season and has now become the most popular reality TV programme India. The fact that the show has managed to keep Salman Khan as its host shows its success and future ambitions. Salman, according to a report by Business Today, takes Rs 12 to 14 crore per episode.
The success of the show’s format, borrowed from UK’s Big Boss, has now spread to Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu and now into Marathi and Malayalam markets.
This year’s show started on a hugely controversial revelation after bhajan singer Anup Jalota sensationally revealed that he was in a romantic relationship with his student, Jasleen Matharu, who is 34 years younger to her teacher.
The revealtion came as a huge shock to not just the fans of the reality show but also to Jasleen’s parents, one of whom even confessed that his friends were advising him to carry out her honour killing.
Their romance experienced a brief hiccups very early into the show after Jasleen refused to sacrifice her dress and make-up kit for Jalota. This left the famous bhajan singer seething as he announced that he was snapping ties with her.
Jalota is now out of the show and has spoken about his romance with Jasleen. Performing a spectacular U-turn on what he had said while entering the Bigg Boss show, Jalota has not denied ever being in a romantic relationship with Jasleen.
He told Times Now, “Soon after Jasleen was offered this show, she contacted me. She asked me if I could be her partner on the show. I told her, ‘No, I don’t have that much time. I am always very busy.’ Then Jasleen’s father (Kesar Matharu) insisted that I go with his daughter. When he requested me twice or thrice, I complied. It was decided that we would enter the show as Guru-Shishya (teacher-student). Six days before Bigg Boss 12, Jasleen was picked up the makers from her house, post which she lost contact with everyone.”
He implied that that the producers came up with the boyfriend-girlfriend angle just before the show was to start in a bid to make the reality show more spicy and watchable.
A day later, Jalota lashed out at Jasleen accusing her of having used him to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry. He told entertainment website Spotboye.com, “She wanted to ride on my popularity— which she did. I am a very positive person and I feel if I can help someone, I should. If she has used me for the platform, I am happy that she succeeded in doing that.”
Meanwhile, Jasleen’s father is reportedly still seething over the public embarrassment caused by his daughter. He’s reportedly said, “Let her come out of the house, I will teach her a lesson.”
On Tuesday, former Bigg Boss contesttant Vikas Gupta and the winner of the last year’s show, Shilpa Shinde, entered the house to celebrate Diwali with the housemates. Shilpa told Jasleen that Jalota had denied being in a romantic relationship with her adding that her father was extremely upset over the issue. Jasleen was seen pretending to lose her temper over the news asking ‘how can he (Anup Jalota) do this?’
If what Jalota says is true, since the makers of Bigg Boss haven’t denied his claims, the development will severely dent the credibility of the reality show in future.