Bigg Boss 2 to Maa Hai Naa: Looking back at Shilpa Shetty's journey through reality shows as host and judge

Shilpa Shetty transformed from a historic international competitor into one of the most bankable and enduring judges on Indian TV. Here's a look at her journey with reality shows

Updated On: 2026-06-08 02:26 PM IST

Compiled by : Shruti Sampat

Shilpa Shetty (Pic via Instagram)

Her most recent venture is Maa Hai Na (2026), a 10-episode culinary show streaming on ZEE5. The series brings Gen Z digital creators and their mothers together to face high-stress cooking challenges. Instead of just focusing on recipes, the show acts as a platform for humorous and chaotic family conversations that highlight generational gaps. 

Prior to this, she hosted the Amazon Prime Video original Hear Me. Love Me. (2018), a virtual blind-dating series where single women dated men through chest-mounted cameras without seeing their faces. Shetty acted as a relationship guru, helping them pick partners based on personality rather than looks. 

The Major Judging Panels Shetty is highly recognized for her role as a primary judge on Super Dancer (Chapters 1–4), a popular kids' dance competition on Sony TV. Alongside co-judges Anurag Basu and Geeta Kapoor, she became known for her encouraging feedback and her iconic catchphrase "Super Se Upar" for exceptional performances.

In 2022, she joined India's Got Talent (Season 9) to rate diverse acts ranging from magic to acrobatics. She not only managed to catch hold of her iconic phrase with this show too, but also encouraged unique talents on the show

She also brought her dance expertise to Nach Baliye (Seasons 5 and 6), where she evaluated the rhythm and chemistry of real-life celebrity couples.

Shilpa Shetty's earlier judging portfolio includes the battle-of-the-sexes dance show Zara Nachke Dikha (Season 2) in 2010, and the very first season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2006, which served as her official debut on reality television.

She also hosted the second season of Bigg Boss in 2008, bringing major star power to the series right after her own massive international reality TV win. The show was later taken over by Salman Khan and has been a major hit ever since soon to reach its 20th season

The Historic International WinHer biggest reality television milestone remains her participation in the UK's Celebrity Big Brother (Series 5) in 2007. During her time in the house, she faced severe cultural bullying and racist microaggressions from a few fellow contestants, which sparked a massive global media controversy and parliamentary discussions. Shetty handled the intense environment with immense grace and poise. This won over the British public, who voted her the winner of the season, making her the first Indian citizen to secure the title and launching her into global fame

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