As the Ticket to Finale race intensified, today ‘s episode delivered drama, disputes and decisive victories. What began as a routine continuation of tasks quickly escalated into one of the most contentious episodes of the season, ultimately producing the first confirmed finalist.
A Completed Task Reopens: Tanuja Questions Ritu’s Win
The episode resumed at the point where Ritu was declared the winner over Bharani in the Ringmaster task. Although Bharani sportively appreciated her performance the previous day, Tanuja reignited the debate by pointing out that one of the shapes Ritu placed was not a triangle but a quadrangle. This triggered a fresh controversy.
Bharani, upon rechecking, agreed and criticised Sanchalak Sanjana for approving the wrong piece. Matters escalated when Ritu was caught hiding one of Bharani’s rings inside her shirt. Bharani retrieved a used ring to finish the task but insisted that the foul play must be acknowledged. When Bigg Boss asked for a decision, Sanjana upheld Ritu’s win, prompting Bharani to openly tell the cameras he would leave the judgement to the audience.
As tensions rose, Bharani also referenced previous foul play by Pavan and Kalyan, which angered Kalyan. Sanjana, meanwhile, examined Bharani’s shapes and said even he had used one incorrect triangle, further complicating the argument.
Sanjana Breaks Down
Feeling targeted, Sanjana expressed her frustration and reminded housemates she had genuinely wanted Bharani to win. She later confronted Immanuel privately about the weekend song in which he portrayed her as a toxic mother. Immanuel clarified that he had no intention of hurting her and chose the song only because it was the first he remembered when Nagarjuna asked. He apologised repeatedly, even trying to touch her feet, as she continued expressing how deeply the incident affected her. Sanjana was also still hurt that Immanuel eliminated her from the Ticket to Finale race.
Build the Tower: A Task Influenced by House Support
The next challenge featured Immanuel, Bharani and Ritu, with Sanjana again serving as referee despite earlier disputes.
Contestants had to build the tallest tower while housemates attempted to destroy it with balls. Bharani focused heavily on Ritu’s tower in retaliation for the earlier controversy. In the first round, Kalyan easily built the tallest tower, securing his place as the round’s winner.
The second round between Immanuel and Ritu decided the runner-up. Here, alliances played a major role. Pavan targeted Immanuel’s tower to support Ritu, while Kalyan struggled to fairly counter Ritu’s structure. This led some viewers to speculate whether Kalyan quietly preferred Ritu to advance so that he would have an easier opponent later.
Ultimately, Ritu advanced, eliminating Immanuel. Many viewers, however, felt that in an individual face-off, Ritu may not have beaten him.
Ritu vs Kalyan: The Final Battle
The last hurdle required navigating a tunnel, balancing on bars, rolling balls into specific slots and assembling a pictorial puzzle. Kalyan dominated every stage of the round, defeating Ritu comfortably and becoming the first contestant to win the Ticket to Finale.
This episode showcased strategic gameplay, emotional turbulence and intense competition. Despite controversies over fairness and alliances, Kalyan’s performance left no doubt—he earned his place as the first confirmed finalist. With more tasks ahead, the battle for the remaining finale slots promises even more drama.
