Sabari Nathan became the first runner-up of 'Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9'. Did the actor earn Rs. 21 lakhs from the controversial reality show?
The finale of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 ended on January 18, 2026, and contestant Divya Ganesan was declared the winner of the season. Contestant, Sabari a.k.a Sabarinath, became the first runner-up of the show. The reality show ran for 105 days, during which raw emotions, tough rivalries, funny antics, and unbreakable friendships were seen inside the Bigg Boss house. The top four finalists in the house were Divya Ganesh, Sabarinathan, Aurora Sinclair, and Vikkals Vikram. Everyone gave their best shot, but it was Divya vs Sabari's competition that kept the audience glued to the screen.
For the unversed, it was host Vijay Sethupathi who declared Sabari as the runner-up of the season. The Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 night first saw the farewell of Aurora Sincair, who became the third runner-up. Vikkals Vikram then secured the third place and exited, and Divya and Sabari had a close fight to clinch the winner's trophy. A lot is known about Divya, but who is Sabari, and how much did he charge in the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9?
Host Vijay Sethupathi in the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 had roasted everyone along with his signature style and also offered an emotional tribute. It was Sabarinath who lost the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 winning trophy to Divya. According to a report by FilmyBeat, Sabari did not win any prize money. He had charged Rs. 20,000 every day for participating in the season. His weekly salary came to Rs. 1.4 lakhs and his total earnings were around Rs. 21 lakhs.
Sabari was one of the most inspiring finalists of the Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9 season. He had intense confrontations, emotional resilience and also phenomenal personal growth. He had entered the reality show as the seventh contestant and got a fixed spot in the house. His journey resonated a lot with his fans as slowly and steadily Sabari made a mark for himself as a strong and independent player. It made him stand out despite everything against him.
Saabari began his work in the entertainment industry with small roles. With his TV debut, he got a lot of recognition in the Tamil cinema. It was his role in Thiruvalluvar Consultancy Services that gave him a lot of fame on the screen. He had a supporting role here and in the movie, Velaikkaran which made him famous among the Tamil audiences. It was with Ponni that Sabari played a lead role as Sakthivel in the family drama and created a household name for himself. The actor was also seen in VIP 2, Natpe Thunai, Nenjamundu Nermaiundu Ooduraja where he broadened his versatility.
Speaking moe of Sabari, he has been famous in the Tamil TV domain and also the digital space. He was born in Tamil Nadu back in 1993 and carved an arc for himself as a content creator, actor and also an anchor. Sabari gained worldwide recognition for his work in Ponni and for his varied roles. The actor, beyond this field, is also a member of Blacksheep, which is a Tamil YouTube channel. By being a part of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9, the actor carved a niche for himself among his Tamil-speaking fans.
The net worth of Sabari is reportedly around Rs. 2 crore. This is because of his work in the TV, movie domain along with doing anchoring roles, social media content creation and also varied brand collabs. It was in the Bigg Boss house where Sabari was lauded for speaking up against Sandra's bully*** behaviour. He had questioned her over her Paaru and Kamarudin being bulli** and Sabari took a stand. His nature was loved by all and his behaviour reflected Sabari's clarity as well as strength.
Sabari's family members had entered the reality show during the family round. The heartfelt exchange of words by them had moved the actor. The emotional support of his family had improved Sabari's performance in the Bigg Boss house in the past weeks. His confidence was boosted as he went from a weak performer to a strong contestant. Sabari improved on his mistakes, stayed totally true to himself and overcame all the varied eliminations and also challenges to cement his place in the finale.
Sabari's fans have been upset with the fact that the actor did not win the show. In their mind, he is the real winner as they have been celebrating his journey with varied social media posts, messages, and have loved that the actor played an honest game. Sabari's acting background has given him a base to handle any situations inside the Bigg Boss house, and he was one of the fresh faces in the house.
What are your views on Sabarin being the first runner-up of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 9?
Also Read: Meet 'BB Tamil 9' Finalist Divya Ganesh, Wants To Marry, Studied Law, Actress Was Wild Card Entrant