As the high-stakes finale week of Celebrity MasterChef India kicked off, emotions ran high and decisions got tougher. In a recent episode, actor Gaurav Khanna made headlines not for a dish—but for a choice that divided the kitchen and left fans applauding his integrity.

Gaurav, who had earned the title of ‘Best Dish’ last week, was rewarded with a time advantage in the crucial finale cook-off. The challenge? To hero a single core ingredient and craft a dish that truly celebrates it. Judges Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, and Farah Khan revealed Gaurav’s perk—he would get 120 minutes of cooking time and could deduct 30 minutes from one contestant or 15 minutes each from two others, who otherwise had 90 minutes.
However, in a move that stunned everyone, Gaurav declined to use the advantage. “All five of us—Nikki Tamboli, Tejasswi Prakash, Faisu, and Rajiv Adatia—have worked hard to reach here,” he said. “At this point, deducting time from their cooking doesn’t feel right. I don’t think that’s fair for any competitor.”
Special guest Munawar says, “Gaurav Bhai, everyone gets advantage at some point. You have earned it. Last time you made a dish, which made you win this advatange. You have a right to it. Not everyone has the right. When you win that trophy, when you win that coat, you won’t divide or share it with them saying all 5 will wear it. You won it because you deserved it. So you won this and you got this advantage. So you should have used it because that is the format of the show.”

In a twist, judge Ranveer Brar clarified that since it's part of the format, the advantage must be used in some form. As a result, the team resorted to a random draw, and Tejasswi and Faisu ended up with reduced cooking time—just 75 minutes.

With emotions, competition, and guest appearances intensifying, the finale week promises drama, flavor, and unforgettable culinary moments.