In an amazing turn around, Bollywood superstars are grabbing chances to host Television programmes as they become more lucrative and popular in the entertainment industry.

In Bollywood it all started with the incorrigible, Kaun Banega Karodpathi show casing the charisma of Amithabh Bachchan giving a new lease of life to the channel and revving the career of the Acting Maestro.

But the T.V. draw for actors started to really simmer with Super star Shahrukh Khan undertaking to be at the helm of K.B.C.

And then it began raining stars on T.V.

For one they earn more than what they earn on the big screen, the work is easier and the contact value with people is much higher.

Salman Khan will hit the tube in June with the game show Dus Ka Dum on Sony Entertainment Television (SET). According to industry experts, Khan is charging Rs 80 lakh for 30 episodes — or a cool Rs 24 crore from the programme. Much higher than his usual fees.
Star couples Ajay Devgan and Kajol are judging Rock and Roll Family on Zee TV and are believed to be charging Rs 20 lakh each for 26 one-hour episodes. That translates to the husband-wife duo earning over Rs 10 crore.
Urmila Matondkar is hosting Waar Parivaar, a musical show on SET and is charging Rs 15 lakh for each episode. The 51-episode show will help the actress — who incidentally does not have too many Bollywood roles at the moment — earn over Rs 7.5 crore

The latest entrant is Akshay Kumar, who will host the Indian version of Fear Factor. Khatron Ke Khiladi, the action-format show, will air on Colors, a soon-to-be launched channel from Viacom 18

Says Siddhartha Basu, one-time quizmaster and now managing director of Synergy Adlabs, “It’s inevitable. TV is huge in terms of reach and penetration and if the star can draw the numbers and advertisers, the money is handsome.” Not to mention the prospect of reviving a flagging career, for some.

Over the year some celebrity led shows have also flopped. such as Madhuri Dixit (Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai), Govinda (Jeeto Chhappar Phaad Ke), Manisha Koirala and Anupam Kher (Sawal Dus Crore Ka), Manoj Baipai (Kam Ya Zyada), and Ashutosh Rana (Baazi Kiski) were resounding flops on TV.

Experts like Basu, however, point out that big names may fail for a number of reasons. “Acting and anchoring are different. A show host needs to be articulate and fluent with presence of mind and an ability to think on his/her feet. Some actors have it. Most don’t. It’s an advantage if an actor has a track record in handling real time start-to-finish events like theatre and emcee-ing”.

But mostly, the Big screen and the idiot box are enjoying a good honeymoon nowadays.