Overview
- In a finale‑week twist on Monday, contestants were asked to unanimously name the season’s first finalist, leaving Harshad Chopda and Shivangi Joshi as the last two contenders.
- Shreya Kalra used a task advantage to name Shivangi for elimination, prompting host Riteish Deshmukh to offer Harshad the immediate choice to give up his finalist spot to save her.
- Harshad accepted the offer and was terminated from the show so Shivangi was reinstated as a finalist, a sequence that left both contestants emotional and changed the remaining lineup.
- Earlier in the episode block, contestant Akanksha Choudhary publicly alleged a casting‑couch demand by an unnamed influential pageant judge, and Yogesh Rawat accepted an on‑show offer of Rs 10 lakh while staying in the competition.
- The events provoked sharply divided viewer reaction, widespread winner speculation and renewed attention on Lock Upp’s use of game advantages and host interventions to create late‑stage unpredictability.