The show feature 15 selected commoners compete to earn their spot in the Bigg Boss Telugu 9 house.[4]
Production
Announcement
On 28 June 2025, the makers of the show released a promo where Nagarjuna announced that commoners can participate in season 9. The auditions were done by bb9.jiostar.com website.[5]
Teasers
On 31 July 2025, main host Nagarjuna announced that 45 commoners are initially selected to face a rigorous “Agnipariksha” to earn their spot in the Bigg Boss house.[6]
On 13 August 2025, the makers of the show revealed the promo for its pre-show, Bigg Boss Agnipariksha with the tagline “The BIGG before the BIGGEST”. The show sets the tone for a fiery battle, as hopefuls compete for a coveted entry ticket into the Bigg Boss house. The promo also introduced former Bigg Boss Telugu contestants Sreemukhi as host and Abijeet, Bindu Madhavi, Navdeep as judges of the show.[7]
Broadcast
The pre-show will premiere from August 22, 2025, to September 5, 2025, and will be streamed exclusively on JioHotstar.[8]
Development
Digital Auditions
The initial call for applications was made on the bb9.jiostar.com website. Applicants had to register and upload a short video explaining why they deserve to be on the show.[9][10]
Screening & Shortlisting
The makers shortlisted thousands of applications into smaller group of candidates based on their video submissions, personality, and screen presence in five levels.[11][12]
Level 1: Initial Screening, Out of lakhs of applications, around 200 candidates are selected based on their videos, personality, and screen presence.[11][12]
Level 2: Phone Interview, From those, 100 people receive a call for the next round.[12]
Level 3: Group Discussion Round, These 100 are filtered down to 40 candidates after a group task.[12]
Level 4: In-Person Interviews, Judges and even former contestants interview the 40, selecting the top 15.[12]
Level 5: Compete in tasks and the public votes to pick the commoners who will officially enter the house![12]
Host and Judges
Former Bigg Boss contestants are participated in the show as host and judges.[2][13]
Abijeet: Actor, The winner of Bigg Boss Telugu 4, he is a part of the pre-show's judging panel. With his calm demeanour and sharp decision-making, he is going to evaluate contestants based on their mental agility.[13]
Bindu Madhavi: Actress, The first female winner of Bigg Boss Telugu in the Bigg Boss Non-Stop OTT season, she is a part of the pre-show's judging panel. With her determination, gameplay, and unwavering spirit. She is now returning to the show as a judge of the pre-show, challenging the participants in a fierce battle.[13]
Navdeep: Actor, Second Runner-up of Bigg Boss Telugu 1, he is well known for his playful personality and wittiness, earning him the “entertainer of the house” title. He is a part of the pre-show's judging panel, testing the candidates’ adaptability and humour.[13]
Sreemukhi: TV Host, Actress, Runner-up of Bigg Boss Telugu 3, She is now part of pre-show's host responsibilities. With her vibrant personality and strategic gameplay. She is now set to steer the pre-show with her infectious energy and sharp hosting.[13]
Format
The makers shortlisted 45 commoner candidates to participate in the Agnipariksha pre-show. The mastermind judges will evaluate the participants based on their physical strength, mental agility, and humour. They will wield a green signal for approval and a red signal for rejection to select 15 contestants for the show. After selection process, the contestants compete in tasks, judged by former contestants Abijeet, Bindu Madhavi, and Navdeep. There will also be public voting for the selection. The selected candidates will join the main show along with celebrity contestants.[1][7]
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