Controversy erupts over judges' decision in latest episode of MasterChef India

The latest episode of MasterChef India has sparked a backlash from netizens, who accused the judges of favouritism towards a contestant. The episode showed judges Garima Arora, Ranveer Brar, and Vikas Khanna giving contestant Aruna Vijay, who belongs to the Jain community and is a vegetarian, the option to choose a vegetarian protein instead of the fish that was the main ingredient for the dish.

Twitter users criticized the decision, accusing the judges of being biased towards Aruna. Some even suggested that the show was fixed. A user wrote, “Height of favouritism by @SonyTV…Aruna was allowed to choose protein of her one choice just cuz she is a vegetarian.” Another user noted that past contestants who were vegetarian were not given such an advantage.

Food is an important part of India's rich cultural heritage and regional identity, and MasterChef India is a popular show that showcases this. The current season of the show, produced by Endemol Shine India, premiered on January 2 and airs on Sony Entertainment Television and SonyLIV.

The controversy has left many viewers questioning the impartiality of the judges, and it remains to be seen how the show's producers will respond to the backlash.