Bollywood stars have long found television to be a lucrative platform, with Amitabh Bachchan paving the way when he began hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000, writes Indian Express.
Since then, several leading film stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh and Akshay Kumar, have taken on television hosting duties.
Now, Ajay Devgn and Madhuri Dixit are the latest Bollywood stars to make the move.
While Salman Khan is preparing to return as the host of Bigg Boss 20 in September and Amitabh Bachchan is back with Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, Devgn will host the upcoming season of Crime Patrol.
Dixit, meanwhile, will host the Marathi version of Kaun Banega Crorepati.
The first promo featuring Devgn was released on Monday.
In the promo, the Drishyam actor highlighted how crimes are increasingly committed by people known to the victims rather than strangers.
“As kids, we are often taught not to talk to strangers, to lock the house at night, but what’s been happening lately are so many cases where the crime is committed by a close one and not a stranger,” Devgn said.
He added that the new season would bring stories inspired by cases that have shocked the nation.
“This time, on Crime Patrol, we want to bring such cases to light that shocked the nation. We don’t need to get scared, but understand that this is happening today,” he said.
Devgn described the role as a responsibility towards the show’s viewers.
“Coming together with a show like Crime Patrol feels like a responsibility to my fans and viewers,” he said in a statement.
The actor said the show has built a legacy of raising awareness about crime and encouraging viewers to remain vigilant about the people around them.
Devgn’s appearance has also sparked speculation about whether he has replaced longtime host Anup Soni.
However, no official confirmation has been made regarding Soni’s replacement.
According to IANS, Devgn has shot for 15 episodes of the upcoming season.
Madhuri Dixit is also set to make her return to television in a new role as the host of the Marathi version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, titled Kon Honar Crorepati.
The actor has previously appeared as a judge and guest on several television reality shows, including Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Dance Deewane.
She also hosted the 2002 show Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai.
Speaking about her new role, Dixit said she was honoured to be part of a show that celebrates knowledge, ambition and perseverance.
“For me, Kon Honar Crorepati is much more than a quiz show. It celebrates curiosity, aspiration, hope and the courage to dream,” she said.
As a Maharashtrian, Dixit said she was particularly excited to meet contestants, hear their stories and witness their dreams unfold on the show.
Amitabh Bachchan’s move to television in 2000 with Kaun Banega Crorepati opened the door for several Bollywood stars.
Shah Rukh Khan also hosted one season of KBC, while Salman Khan has become closely associated with Bigg Boss.
He has also hosted Dus Ka Dum.
Aamir Khan hosted Satyameva Jayate, while Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Rohit Shetty have hosted or been associated with Khatron Ke Khiladi.
More recently, Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh hosted Lock Upp Sach Ya Sazaa, while Kunal Kemmu hosted Alliance.
Karan Johar, who previously hosted Bigg Boss OTT, is set to host The Traitors Season 2.
Anil Kapoor is also preparing to host the Star Plus game show India Ke Top 1 Percent, which is scheduled to premiere on 5 September.
