This week’s nomination round in Bigg Boss 19 introduced a new “chain-reaction” format — a twist intended to add excitement, but one that ended up stirring controversy instead. Here’s a breakdown of what happened, who’s speaking out, and why fans are questioning the fairness of the game.
What Was the Task?
In the latest episode, contestants participated in a locker-style nomination game:
- The process began when Kunickaa Sadanand drew a chit and picked Gaurav Khanna’s name.
- Gaurav then selected a locker which revealed the photo of Nehal Chudasama, and he nominated her.
- Nehal saved Amaal Mallik in the next move. Amaal saved Shehbaaz Badesha. Shehbaaz nominated Pranit More.
- Pranit saved Abhishek Bajaj, who then nominated Baseer Ali. In retaliation, Baseer nominated Gaurav, and the chain ended there.
- Ultimately, the contestants up for eviction this week were: Nehal, Baseer, Gaurav and Pranit.
The format was designed to heighten suspense by giving each person the power to save or nominate based on a revealed photo — but that very structure is now under scrutiny.
Why the Backlash?
Several former contestants and viewers have raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of this task:
- Hina Khan publicly questioned whether the process was rigged. She posted on X: “If fixed nominations had a FACE. Sabse pehle kisko bheja to open the box decides everything. Aur haan, box number choose karne ke baad kya peeche se tasveeren badli jaa rahi thi, humein kya pata. Janta jaan na chahti hai. This show has lost its charm sadly. Subhraatri.”
Her main points: the person who opens the first box has undue influence; the pictures might have been altered after box-selection; the audience deserves more clarity. - Former contestant Manu Punjabi also weighed in, suggesting that some “unpredictable” scenarios on the show might not be genuinely spontaneous.
- Viewers on Reddit have echoed these sentiments, with one user commenting: “I’m quite sure Bigg Boss would never risk creating a nomination task purely based on luck… That’s why the tasks often feel rigged.”
Taken together, the criticisms revolve around three main concerns: whether the box-selection process was fair, whether the photos were manipulated, and whether the sequence was pre-determined to lead to certain contestants being nominated.
Why It Was Good (from the producers’ perspective)
Despite the controversy, there are reasons why such a format is compelling for a show like Bigg Boss:
- The chain-reaction format introduces a fresh twist — each contestant’s decision has direct implications for the next, creating tension and drama.
- It encourages strategic thinking (save or nominate), alliances, and game-theory play rather than just physical or performance-based tasks.
- It keeps viewers engaged — talking points, debates and “what happened” moments are TV gold.
Why Viewers Are Doubting It
On the flip side:
- When a task has many moving parts (choice of box, revealed photo, save/nominate decision), it becomes harder to convince the audience that everything is random and fair.
- The sequence of decisions seems to favour certain contestants (some saving others, some being nominated) which raises the question: is the sequence planned?
- Transparency matters in reality shows — if viewers feel the outcome is manipulated, trust in the format drops. Hina’s statement that “the show has lost its charm” is a warning sign.
What’s Next?
- The nominated contestants (Nehal, Baseer, Gaurav, Pranit) will face eviction — the outcome may be influenced by public vote.
- More urgent: producers might need to address viewer concerns about fairness, possibly by revealing more about how box-choices and photo-reveals are handled.
- If similar tasks appear in future episodes, the format might be slightly tweaked (more randomness, less chance of manpulation) to restore credibility.
Final Thoughts
This week’s nomination task in Bigg Boss 19 may have been exciting, but the suspicion of rigging has overshadowed the fun. The chain reaction format brought strategy and surprise — yet the very complexity that made it interesting also made it vulnerable to claims of unfairness. If the show wants to maintain audience trust, clarity and perceived impartiality are key. As Hina Khan put it, the “charm” of the show is at stake.
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