Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 marked the most significant transformation in the franchise’s history — the introduction of a new host who brought a fresh energy, national star power, and genuine Maharashtrian cultural roots to the role after Mahesh Manjrekar’s four-season founding tenure concluded at the end of Season 4. Riteish Deshmukh — one of Maharashtra’s most celebrated actors, a national Bollywood star, a proud cultural ambassador for the Marathi language and identity, and the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh — stepped into the Bigg Boss Marathi hosting role with a massive pre-existing fanbase and a natural, joyful connection to Maharashtrian culture that made his hosting debut feel like a homecoming for the franchise.
Season 5 premiered on 28 July 2024 — the first Bigg Boss Marathi season to air in 2024 — and ran for 70 days, a notably shorter competition than the franchise’s standard 98-day format. Despite the compressed timeline, Season 5 delivered the highest TRP records in the franchise’s history — a testament to both the excitement generated by the host change and the quality of the season’s content, cast, and competitive dynamics.
Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 — Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Show Name | Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 |
| Channel | Colors Marathi / JioCinema |
| Premiere Date | 28 July 2024 |
| Finale Date | 6 October 2024 |
| Duration | 70 Days |
| Host | Riteish Deshmukh (debut) |
| Theme | Maze |
| Total Contestants | 16 |
| Winner | Suraj Chavan |
| Runner-Up | Abhijeet Sawant |
| Third Place | Nikki Tamboli |
| Prize Money | ₹14.6 Lakh cash + ₹10 Lakh jewellery voucher + EV bike |
Host — Riteish Deshmukh
Riteish Deshmukh brought everything the franchise needed for a successful host transition — star power, genuine warmth, cultural authenticity, and the natural communication ease that comes from deep personal connection to the language, culture, and people of Maharashtra. Born in Latur, Maharashtra, Riteish’s Marathi identity is not a marketing construct but a lived reality — and this authenticity translated into a hosting style that felt genuinely engaged with both the contestants’ journeys and the cultural pride of the audience watching from across Maharashtra.
Riteish’s hosting debut was particularly notable for the extraordinary circumstance of the Season 5 Grand Finale — he was in London at the time, flew back to Mumbai specifically for one day to host the Grand Finale, and then returned to London — a commitment to the show that fans celebrated as evidence of his genuine investment in Bigg Boss Marathi. The finale, which broke all previous TRP records for the franchise, validated both his hosting and the season’s extraordinary viewer engagement.
Winner of Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5
Suraj Chavan — Winner
Suraj Chavan was declared the winner of Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 at the Grand Finale on 6 October 2024 — claiming the trophy, ₹14.6 Lakh in cash, a ₹10 Lakh jewellery voucher, and an EV bike in an overall prize package of significant value. The Season 5 winner prize had been built through specific task achievements during the season — the Chakravyuh task contributed ₹8.6 lakh, and Suraj’s ticket-to-finale task victory added ₹6 lakh to reach the cash total.
A prominent digital content creator and social media influencer, Suraj Chavan’s victory was significant beyond the show itself — it represented the first Bigg Boss Marathi championship won by a social media personality rather than a traditional film or television actor. This reflected a broader shift in Indian entertainment where digital creators are achieving the same cultural recognition and mass appeal previously reserved for mainstream media stars. Suraj had built a substantial online following before entering Bigg Boss Marathi, and his witty, grounded personality that had made him popular on social media proved equally compelling in the reality television format. His victory earned the highest viewer support ratings in the franchise’s history.
Runner-Up — Abhijeet Sawant
Abhijeet Sawant was declared the first runner-up of Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5 — receiving ₹9 Lakh as the runner-up prize. One of India’s most recognisable musical talents, Abhijeet Sawant was the winner of Indian Idol Season 1 (2004) — the first-ever Indian Idol champion — whose victory had launched one of the most celebrated pop music careers in contemporary Marathi and Hindi music. His journey through Bigg Boss Marathi 5 demonstrated resilience, determination, and the kind of emotional depth that comes from decades of performing and connecting with audiences.
The cultural significance of Abhijeet Sawant’s participation in Bigg Boss Marathi 5 added considerable prestige to the season’s cast — a former national singing champion competing alongside younger social media personalities and television actors created intergenerational entertainment dynamics that enriched the season’s narrative considerably. His runner-up finish earned widespread respect from viewers who admired his dignified, genuine approach to the competition.
Third Place — Nikki Tamboli
Nikki Tamboli — a well-known personality from Bigg Boss Hindi Season 14 — finished in third place in Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5, receiving ₹6 Lakh as the third-place prize. Nikki’s bold personality, strong opinions, and unapologetically expressive game made her one of Season 5’s most discussed and polarising contestants — her confrontations with fellow contestants generating multiple controversial moments that kept viewers intensely engaged. Her eviction in the semi-finals before the final two-person competition left many of her supporters disappointed but her third-place cash prize reflected the genuine public support she had accumulated across the season.
Complete Contestants List — Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5
Season 5’s 16 contestants competed across the Maze-themed house for 70 days. The top 5 finalists were Suraj Chavan, Abhijeet Sawant, Nikki Tamboli, Dhananjay Powar, and Ankita Walawalkar.
Suraj Chavan — Digital content creator and social media influencer. Winner. 2. Abhijeet Sawant — Indian Idol Season 1 winner, singer. First Runner-Up. 3. Nikki Tamboli — Actress and Bigg Boss Hindi Season 14 contestant. Third Place. 4. Dhananjay Powar — Actor and television personality. Fourth Place. 5. Ankita Walawalkar — Actress. Fifth Place. 6. Varsha Usgaonkar — Veteran Marathi film actress. Featured in multiple Season 5 controversies. 7. Jahnavi Killekar — Actress involved in the controversial confrontation with Varsha Usgaonkar. 8. Pandharinath Kamble — Actor. Featured in a controversy where Jahnavi criticised his career. 9–16. Additional contestants whose performances, alliances, and eliminations shaped the 70-day narrative.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who won Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5?
A: Suraj Chavan, a social media content creator, won Season 5.
Q: Who hosted Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5?
A: Riteish Deshmukh hosted Season 5 — his first season with the franchise.
Q: What was the prize money for Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5?
A: Suraj Chavan received ₹14.6 Lakh cash + ₹10 Lakh jewellery voucher + an EV bike.
Q: Why is Season 5 significant?
A: It was the first season to break all previous TRP records, featured Indian Idol Season 1 winner Abhijeet Sawant, and was the first championship won by a digital content creator.
Q: Did Abhijeet Sawant win Indian Idol before Bigg Boss Marathi?
A: Yes — Abhijeet Sawant was the winner of Indian Idol Season 1 in 2004, making him one of the franchise’s most notable contestants.
