Bigg Boss (Malayalam TV series) season 5

The fifth season of the Malayalam-language version of Indian reality television series Bigg Boss is produced by Endemol Shine India and Banijay. It is broadcast on Asianet along with a 24x7 deferred stream on Disney+ Hotstar OTT platform. The season is hosted by Mohanlal for the fifth consecutive year and launched on 26 March 2023. A commoner from the general public was selected as a contestant for the first time in the series by the title sponsor Airtel.

Akhil Marar won the title of Season 5 at the grand finale of the show, which was scheduled for July 2, 2023, with Reneesha Rahiman finishing as the runner-up.

Production
Asianet revealed the official promo video with the new Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 5 logo on February 16, 2023. The logo of season five is different from the logos of previous seasons. It features a golden texture and grade, with this year's eye being a gem surrounded by rubies. The number 5 in the new logo denotes the fifth season. Additionally, the logo has an orange background, which is different from the previous blue background. Asianet also released the official video teaser on March 9, 2023 In the teaser, show host Mohanlal reveals the theme of this season's Bigg Boss, which is "Battle of the Originals- തീ പാറും!".

House theme
The season 5 Bigg Boss house was set up in Mumbai Film City. The BB house was designed and conceptualized by the film director Omung Kumar. The Bigg Boss mansion draws inspiration from Kerala's tharavadu architecture, featuring pillars, mural art, and a front elevation reminiscent of traditional houses. The main door resembles an old warship, adorned with 3D cannon projections. Throughout the house includes artwork, such as the Ardhanari design, 3D bulls, and war elephants. It also includes a chit-chat corners, a garden area with a pool and gym, and a jail with nearby seating. The living area's lotus-patterned flooring, animal-themed paintings, and separate wooden seats replace the traditional long couch. The dining area has a 16-seater table, animal skin-designed cushion covers, and a fish-shaped chandelier. The kitchen showcases a traditional touch with hanging chapati and artworks. The bedroom's walls feature Kathakali face drawings and eerie 3D designs. This season, there are no separate rooms for men and women. The confession room features war-themed decor, while the washroom area embraces a greenhouse theme with bamboo and plant designs. The seating arrangement exhibits an eye design reminiscent of the Bigg Boss eye surrounded by straws, akin to a traditional temple procession's alavattam.

Housemates
The participants are given below in the order of their entrance into the Bigg Boss House.

Original entrants

 * Reneesha Rahman – Malayalam TV actress known for her role as Swathi in the serial Seetha Kalyanam.
 * Rinosh George – Singer-songwriter, rapper and actor.
 * Cerena Ann Johnson – A Dubai born MBA student, model and Miss Queen Kerala 2022 winner.
 * Sobha Viswanath – An entrepreneur, fashion designer and the founder of a clothing line – Weaver's Village.
 * Sagar Surya – Film and TV actor known for Thatteem Mutteem and Kuruthi.
 * Vishnu Joshi – Fitness trainer and model. He had won Mr. Kerala 2017, Mr. Ernakulam in both 2017 and 2019.
 * Angeline Mariya – A film actress and the youngest out of the 18 contestant.
 * Sreedevi Menon (Devu) – A single mother who is a social media influencer known as 'Viber Good Devu' and a travel vlogger.
 * Junaiz VP – YouTuber, and content creator.
 * Akhil Marar – A social media influencer, director of movie Oru Thathvika Avalokanam.
 * Anjuz Rosh – TV actress and VJ.
 * Maneesha K S – Malayalam singer and actress known for Thatteem Mutteem.
 * Aniyan Midhun – Wushu Practitioner.
 * Nadira Mehrin – Journalist and actress who belongs to the transgender community. She is the LGBTQ+ community representative of this season.
 * Aiswarya Suresh (Lachu)– A South African born Indian model, dancer and actress. She is known for her role in Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam.
 * Shiju Abdul Rasheed – Film and TV actor.
 * Sruthi Lakshmi – Film and TV actress. She debuted as a child actress on the Asianet TV series, Nizhalukal.
 * Gopika Gopi – A single mother who is a courier agency employee (commoner contest winner – selected from the public).

Wildcard entrants

 * Hanan Hameed – Social media influencer.
 * Omar Lulu – Film director.
 * Anu Joseph – Film and TV actress, known for Karyam Nissaram and Minnukettu.

Nomination table
