Bigg Boss 7 and Salman Khan – these two topics are some of the heavily discussed ones on social media in last few weeks.

With Bigg Boss 7, Salman Khan is desperate to bring back the credibility to the entire brand of ‘Bigg Boss’. Yes, this is true. Here is something you must know, before you read further:

Bigg Boss 1, launched on November 3, 2006 was hosted by Arshad Warsi. Winner was Rahul Roy. Bigg Boss 2, launched on August 17, 2008 was hosted by Shilpa Shetty. Winner was Ashutosh Kaushik. Bigg Boss 3, launched on October 4, 2009 was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. Winner was Vindu Dara Singh. Bigg Boss 4, launched on October 3, 2010 was hosted by Salman Khan. Winner was Shweta Tiwari. Bigg Boss 5, launched on October 2, 2011 was hosted by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Winner was Juhi Parmar. Bigg Boss 6, launched on October 7, 2012 was hosted by Salman Khan. Winner was Urvashi Dholakia.

Now, it is Bigg Boss 7, launched on September 15, 2013 is being hosted by Salman Khan. (And who’s the winner for this season? Your guess is as good as mine! Let’s wait for the Grand Finale on December 29, 2013.)

My point: if you carefully look at all this, then it’s very evident that ‘Bigg Boss’, as a brand is now synonymous with Salman Khan. Well, hold your guns.

If you glance at the entire journey through the years, you will strikingly notice that Salman Khan has made a mark for himself. He has raised the bar always – in terms of his hosting style, his new ‘one liners’, and almost everything else. Salman has brought a lot of credibility to the show. There’s no doubt in saying that majority of the audience wait for his weekend episodes with batted breath.

But, why is it that only with Bigg Boss 7 there is a divided opinion about Salman Khan, and his position as a host?

Here is the answer:

Salman Khan took over the show from ‘Season 4’, where Dolly Bindra had literally created havoc. Post which Salman saw to it that nothing went wrong in the following seasons. He along with the broadcasters got it bang on in ‘Season 6’. This season was classy, watchable and had a feel good factor. Obviously, there were highs and lows, there was drama, there were fights – but, nothing became too ugly.

Bigg Boss 7 came with a lot of expectations. Very sadly, it has fallen flat on Salman Khan’s face. And the reason is only one: the kind of housemates selected by the broadcasters.

Salman Khan’s role, or, for that matter any other host’s role begins once the housemates get locked in the house. And Salman Khan is the best host this show can ever have.

At times he is harsh, at times loving. Whenever needed he yells at the housemates, tells them on their faces how bad they looked when they did something seriously wrong. He also appreciates the ones who deserve it. Salman Khan makes a point without failing to highlight the good things. That is the real Salman Khan for you. If a contestant with an intention to kill other contestant grabs his neck – somebody definitely has to yell at the misbehaving one, right?

But, things went a bit out of hand the week Salman took a stand for Tanishaa Mukerji. Assumptions were made that Salman did that because he is close to the Devgn family, and so on. But wait! That is Salman Khan’s job as a host. He was only doing that. For a moment forget that it was Tanishaa. And even forget that it was Kushal. In a normal situation, in a game – while being in the box, if somebody who has already been abusing you for long, drops really dirty things on your head – and doesn’t stop at that. It all keeps on going nonstop. And the girl gives a simple reaction. What is the reaction? A normal push. She had not been abusing, she had not ran against the boy screaming ‘I will burry you alive’, and then pushed him.

Salman Khan stood up for that ‘girl’. Not Tanishaa. Good, bad or otherwise is a call everyone has.

This was the thing which didn’t go well with the housemates, and section of Bigg Boss 7 audience. Yes, I do agree that whatever Tanishaa is doing in house is totally shameful. She is playing a really dirty game. But then three others are also playing such dirty games – Gauahar Khan, Armaan Kohli and the latest one to join the dirty league is Ajaz Khan.

In yesterday, November 9, 2013’s episode Salman Khan did make Gauahar realize the very basic fact which needed to be told to her: that she doesn’t allow anyone else to talk! And obviously, Salman also had to tell the world that his so called apology to Kushal was a polite gesture, out of which Kushal has made a huge deal. The way Kushal has gone on telling in every interview that Salman Khan has apologized to him was totally his strategy to gain mileage using the superstar’s name.

Also, Salman reprimanded Tanishaa and Armaan. Armaan almost made a huge joke of himself via the caller of the week’s call, and even Salman Khan took his case. This is what Salman Khan does the best. This is entertainment, and this is what makes the weekend episodes so interesting.

The only unanswered question now is: why have the broadcasters went ahead and got such ‘characters’ in the house? And even bigger mystery is: why are still in the house?

If we strongly feel that such people should not be a part of the show, then simply don’t wait! Whenever they’re nominated for eviction, don’t vote for them. Throw them out! But that’s not happening! Which means the viewers are enjoying all this below the belt, mud slinging and cheap remarks?

Like in democracy, here too, the power lies with all of us! So, please, stop blaming Salman Khan, and do whatever you want to do till next weekend! What say?

Editor’s Note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author in her private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Businessofcinema.com.