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After 11 gruelling weeks of innovative vegetarian cooking and 67 episodes of high-intense drama, 21-year-old Nikita Gandhi, an Indian based in Abu Dhabi, bagged the winner's golden chef coat and Rs.1 crore (Rs.10 million) on MasterChef India 4 on April 12. (Pics - Kangana's Kitchen Confidential: Tanu, Manu Enjoy Paani Puri on MasterChef 4 Finale)
Born in Ahmedabad, the young and vibrant food aficionado was chosen as the winner on the basis of viewers' votes. She pipped Mumbai's Neha Shah, who walked away with a prize money of Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million) and a trip for two to London; and the show's second runner up, Hyderabad-based Bhakti Arora was given Rs 500,000.
Elated over her win, Nikita found the news of her victory hard to assimilate, but she made an emotional point at the finale.
"These four to five months here (in India), thanks to
MasterChef, have made me realise that India is truly my home," she said. She also thanked the show's three judges - Sanjeev Kapoor, Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar - for giving her "a huge platform to portray culinary talent".
The trio of judges announced Nikita as the winner at the finale, calling her a consistent performer throughout the season.
The grand finale featured lively performances by Gurmeet Chaudhary and Debina Bonnerjee, and
MasterChef India 3 winner Ripudaman Handa along with Shivang.
Bollywood actors Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan, co-stars of
Tanu Weds Manu Returns, took part in a pani-puri making competition on the show.
The entertainment value of the show was further enhanced by a performance of the three finalists, and even the judges performed on a special song composed specially for
MasterChef India 4 by themselves.
The finale also saw actress Preity Zinta, choreographer Marzi Pestonji and author Chetan Bhagat, judges of the forthcoming reality show
Nach Baliye, paying a visit on the set of
MasterChef India 4.
Besides this, the eliminated contestants also came back on the show for the one last time and were seen cheering the three finalists. Raghu Ram hosted the show and kept the audiences entertained.