After days of speculation that Shah Rukh Khan will host the 61st Filmfare Awards on January 15, reports now suggest that Salman Khan has replaced SRK as the host for the event in Mumbai. And, apparently the Dabangg star’s popular TV show Bigg Boss is the reason why he was offered the job.
According to a report in DNA on Thursday, Salman Khan will be paid Rs 2.5 crore for the two hours that he will spend hosting the event. Quoting a source, the daily said, “How many combinations can one watch Kapil Sharma and Manish Paul in? Salman Khan is a masterstroke. He is popular and Bigg Boss shows what a fabulous host he is. He was pursued relentlessly and the pay-cheque was very fat, close to Rs 2.5 crores.”
If reports are true, this will be the first time that Salman will host Filmfare awards. Shah Rukh , on the other hand, has donned the hat twice before: once with Saif Ali Khan (2008) and then in 2012 with Ranbir Kapoor.
TV comedian-turned-actor Kapil Sharma will be the co-host for the awards night. This will be the second year in a row for Kapil that he gets to host the awards function.