The race for the Ticket to Finale intensified in today’s episode as strategy, alliances and sharp observations took centre stage. With every task holding the power to eliminate a contender from the race, gameplay shifted from individual performance to group coordination, giving viewers a clearer understanding of the underlying power blocs in the house.
Sanjana Claims a Three-Member Alliance
The episode opened with Sanjana sharing her analysis with Bharani. She claimed that Emanuel, Kalyan and Ritu had formed a covert alliance to ensure that one among them wins the Ticket to Finale. She pointed out patterns from previous rounds: Pavan attempting to eliminate Bharani, Emanuel ousting Sanjana and Kalyan collaborating with Ritu in strategic moments. According to her, the younger trio wanted to prevent senior players like Suman, Bharani and herself from reaching the finale.
While her deductions initially appeared speculative, the events of the day gradually seemed to align with her interpretation.
Fill the Colour: Ritu and Kalyan vs Bharani
The first major task required contestants to paint a canvas with their assigned colour. The winner would be the one who occupied the most surface area.
In the round featuring Ritu, Bharani and Kalyan, gameplay took a tactical turn. Ritu and Kalyan worked in tandem for part of the challenge, blocking Bharani and interrupting his progress. Despite his efforts, Bharani was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. Kalyan ultimately won the task. The outcome lent further weight to Sanjana’s earlier prediction about coordinated gameplay.
Weigh Your Prospects: Kalyan Defeats Suman
Kalyan next selected Suman as his opponent instead of Emanuel or Ritu. In this challenge, players had to break open coloured boxes with a hammer and place the pieces on a weighing balance. The heavier tray would determine the winner.
Kalyan maintained a narrow lead. As Suman attempted to add the final box to shift the balance in his favour, Kalyan physically restricted him, preventing the move. The final reading declared Kalyan as the winner. The block was questionable but went uncontested, allowing Kalyan to advance in the race.
By this point, the pattern Sanjana described appeared increasingly evident as Emanuel, Ritu and Kalyan continued to align their moves, especially when it came to selecting opponents.
Balance Your Sticks: Ritu Takes the Lead
The next challenge featured Emanuel, Ritu and Kalyan balancing tokens on sticks while walking. Additional tokens were periodically added by non-contenders.
Before the task even began, Emanuel and Kalyan decided to help Ritu win without her knowledge, ensuring she would face Bharani in the next elimination round. As planned, Ritu emerged victorious and moved forward.
Ringmaster Task: Ritu vs Bharani
The final showdown of the day saw Ritu competing against Bharani. Contestants had to collect shaped cut-outs and successfully toss rings onto poles. Bharani began strongly, but Ritu quickly adapted and overtook him. She won the task, with Bharani graciously acknowledging her performance.
Today’s sequence of events highlighted how alliances and strategic choices, rather than pure individual effort, have begun determining the course of the Ticket to Finale. With Emanuel, Kalyan and Ritu appearing to function as a unified front, and senior housemates losing ground, the competition has entered a more tactical, unpredictable phase. The upcoming episodes will reveal whether this alliance holds strong or fractures under pressure.
