Mumbai: Bollywood icon Madhuri Dixit is set to host the Marathi edition of Kaun Banega Crorepati, titled Kon Honaar Crorepati, marking her first association with the quiz franchise as a host.

According to sources close to the development, Dixit has been finalised for the role. A source told IANS that the promo shoot has already been completed and that the first official promo introducing her as the host will be unveiled during the premiere of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 on August 10, which is hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

The source said the makers chose Dixit because of her strong popularity among Marathi audiences. As a Maharashtrian, she has long enjoyed a close connection with viewers in the state and has often highlighted Marathi culture in her public life and work.

The channel had recently hinted at the new host through a promotional video shared on its social media handles. In the clip, the team was seen on the red carpet of an awards ceremony revealing the host’s name only to celebrities while keeping audiences guessing. Stars including Abhijeet Sawant, Bharat Jadhav and Renuka Shahane were shown a placard carrying the name. Their reactions ranged from surprise to excitement, but the name itself was not disclosed on camera.

Instead, the celebrities broke into gestures associated with Dixit, including mimicking her famous “Dhak Dhak” move and recreating her signature “Aaha!” expression from Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!. The video ended by asking fans to guess the host’s identity; many correctly predicted Madhuri Dixit.

While this will be her first stint as host of Kon Honaar Crorepati, Dixit has previously worked in Marathi cinema. Her Marathi film debut was the 2018 release Bucket List.

Kon Honaar Crorepati has earlier been hosted by Sachin Khedekar, Swapnil Joshi and filmmaker Nagraj Manjule.

The appointment places one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable stars at the centre of the Marathi edition of the long-running quiz format, with the first formal introduction to viewers timed to coincide with the launch of the Hindi season under Bachchan.