From Crazy Show to Cultural Phenomenon: Nag on Bigg Boss Journey
Bigg Boss became an addiction for all of us, Tollywood King Nagarjuna Echoes Mohanlal at South Unbound
Tollywood King Akkineni Nagarjuna stole the spotlight at the Jio Hotstar South Unbound event, where the platform unveiled its ambitious 2026 slate with 25 new titles across Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. He started off by congratulating seasoned actor Mohan Lal on his Dadasaheb Phalke Award while recalling the fact his father was a committee member and how prestigious the award is.
Speaking in his signature relaxed, candid style, Nagarjuna reflected on Bigg Boss, his long-running association with the channel, and how Jio Hotstar is opening up a wave of new opportunities opening up for young talent.
Nagarjuna began with a simple truth that captured the mood of the evening: “Content is king, of course. Here in Bigg Boss, the contestants are kings. All of them.” He echoed veteran actor and Bigg Boss Malayalam host Mohanlal's words on how deeply the show connects—not just with audiences, but with the hosts themselves. “I have hosted almost eight seasons. I didn’t even want to do the first season. I wondered why Bigg Boss because I thought it was a crazy show. But like Mr. Mohanlal said, the show became an addiction after it started.”
That ‘addiction,’ he said, didn’t just grip viewers. “I don’t know how what became an addiction to the audience became an addiction to us too.” He paused to acknowledge the unwavering support from fans. “I should thank the audience of the Telugu Bigg Boss. The Telugu states, they have been fantastic and so have been the contestants.”
Nagarjuna then shared his reaction to learning about JioHotstar’s massive expansion plans. “When I was listening to their plan to spending 4,000 crores here in Chennai, I asked, ‘When will you start there in Telugu? And I was told, ‘We are coming there too.’ After that, we are going to Karnataka and Kerala.” For Nagarjuna, all of this signals a huge boost for the industry. “The workshops would provide fantastic grooming opportunities for young talent.”
Through all the excitement, he returned to the simple principle that drives him: “Content is king is all I can say.” And for him, Bigg Boss remains a fulfilling experience. “I am so happy to be doing Bigg Boss and I am really enjoying it.”
But the part he spoke of with the most pride was the transformation the show brings to contestants’ lives. “Every contestant—even the person who gets eliminated in the first week—have become stars. They are recognized all over the Telugu states.” He shared how deeply their journeys move him. “There are so many contestants, housemates who have come to me and said, ‘We bought our first car. We bought our first apartment. We did something for our father.’ I am so happy to hear all this.”
Warm, grounded and full of gratitude, Nagarjuna’s words captured both the scale of the moment and the human stories behind it.
