Salman Khan has revealed that he once hesitated to host the game show Dus Ka Dum because of the negativity surrounding his public image at the time.

The actor made the admission during the latest season of Bigg Boss, which he is hosting. He said he was unsure whether audiences would accept him as a television host when the show was first offered to him.

Khan recalled that his father, veteran writer Salim Khan, advised him to take it up. The show went on to become a major success and cemented Salman’s place as one of television’s biggest hosts.

The star has now fronted multiple seasons of Bigg Boss and remains the face of reality television in India. His candid comments on the show offered fans a rare look at the doubts he once had about his small-screen career.

Salim Khan, one half of the legendary Salim-Javed writing duo, has often guided his son’s career choices. Dus Ka Dum ran successfully for multiple seasons and showed that Salman’s connect with family audiences extended beyond films. His hosting style, mixing humour with emotion, became a template for celebrity-led reality shows.