MasterChef India – Hindi season 9
| MasterChef India – Hindi | |
|---|---|
| Season 9 | |
Official Poster | |
| Hosted by | Paritosh Tripathi |
| Judges | Kunal Kapur Ranveer Brar Vikas Khanna |
| No. of contestants | 12 pairs (24 contestants) |
| Winners | Ajinkya and Vikram Gandhe |
| Runners-up | Chandana and Saisri Rachakonda |
| No. of episodes | 45 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Sony Entertainment Television SonyLIV |
| Original release | 5 January – 6 March 2026 |
| Season chronology | |
Season 9 of the Indian Hindi language competitive reality TV series MasterChef India – Hindi premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 5 January 2026.[1] Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar returned as the judges for the show while Kunal Kapur returned for the first time as full-time judge since season 5.[2]. For the first time, the contestants participated in pairs. Ajinkya and Vikram Gandhe from Nagpur won the season and Chandana and Saisri Rachakonda finished as Runner-ups. The season ended on 6 March 2026.
Top 12 pairs
A large number of pairs appeared at the nationwide auditions, of which 25 pairs were selected by the judges.
The 25 pairs advanced to the overnight bootcamp titled as Agnipareeksha. The pairs would have to participate two challenges to get a spot in the top 12.
- Challenge 1 (The Great Indian Bread Basket): The 25 pairs will have to make 4 types of breads from India: Girda Roti, Khoba Roti, Malabar Parotta and Sel Roti. The first 18 pairs who makes all four perfect breads will go to the next challenge and remaining seven will be eliminated.
- Challenge 2 (Cook-Offs): The remaining 18 pairs will have to make a dish to win a spot in Top 12.
The top 12 pairs were revealed on 9 January 2026.
| Contestants | Hometown | Relationship | Status | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajinkya and Vikram Gandhe | Nagpur, Maharashtra | Brothers | Winner
06 March |
1st |
| Chandana and Sai Sri Rachakonda | Hyderabad, Telangana | Mother-Daughter | 1st Runner-Up
06 March |
2nd |
| Anju Pradhan and Manju Ojha | Puri, Odisha / Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Sisters | 2nd Runner-Up
06 March |
3rd |
| Anshmeet Singh and Prabhdeep Kaur | Ludhiana, Punjab / Jalandhar, Punjab | Brother-Sister | Eliminated 05 March |
4th |
| Simran and Himanshi Vohra | Mathura, Uttar Pradesh | Sisters | Eliminated 03 March |
5th |
| Archana Dhotre and Rupalie Jadhav | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Sisters-in-law | Eliminated 02 March |
6th |
| Venu and Avani Sharma | Kasaragod, Kerala | Father-Daughter | Eliminated 27 February |
7th |
| Mahfooz and Yasmin Ansari | Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh / Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh | Brother-Sister | Eliminated 20 February |
8th |
| Deepali Bihani and Jamuna Somani | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Sisters | Eliminated 13 February |
9th |
| Parvati and Himang Soni | Bikaner, Rajasthan | Mother-Son | Eliminated 06 February |
10th |
| Vishnu and Harshini Purohit | Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh | Father-in-law and Daughter-in-law | Eliminated 30 January |
11th |
| Raksha and Kanchana Devi | Bir, Himachal Pradesh | Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law | Eliminated 23 January |
12th |
Elimination chart
| Place | Contestants | Episode | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 7-8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13-14 | 15 | 16 | 17-18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22-23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27-28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | |||||||||||
| 01 | Ajinkya & Vikram | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IMM | PT | PT | PT | PT | IN | IN | IN | IN | PT | WIN | IN | HIGH | WIN | IMM | HIGH | HIGH | IN | HIGH | WINNER | ||||||||||||
| 02 | Chandana & Sai Sri | IN | WIN | EXC | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | WIN | LOW | EXC | PT | PT | PT | PT | PT | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | LOW | IN | IN | PT | IN | IN | LOW | IN | RUNNER-UP | ||||||||||||
| 03 | Anju & Manju | IN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | WIN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | IN | IMM | PT | PT | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IN | PT | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | HIGH | IN | HIGH | IN | THIRD | ||||||||||
| 04 | Anshmeet & Prabhdeep | IN | WIN | LOW | IN | IN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | IN | IMM | PT | PT | PT | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IN | PT | IN | IN | IN | IN | PT | LOW | LOW | LOW | ELIM | ||||||||||
| 05 | Simran & Himanshi | IN | WIN | EXC | IN | HIGH | LOW | PT | IN | WIN | WIN | IMM | IN | WIN | IN | IMM | PT | PT | IMM | IN | HIGH | IN | IN | PT | IN | LOW | EXC | EXC | PT | IN | ELIM | ||||||||||||||
| 06 | Archana & Rupali | HIGH | WIN | WIN | IN | HIGH | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | LOW | IN | IN | IMM | PT | PT | PT | IMM | IN | HIGH | HIGH | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | ELIM | |||||||||||||
| 07 | Venu & Avani | IN | WIN | IN | IMN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | HIGH | IN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | LOW | PT | PT | PT | PT | PIN | WIN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | HIGH | IN | ELIM | ||||||||||||||
| 08 | Mahfooz & Yasmin | WIN | WIN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IMM | PT | IMM | IN | IN | IN | IN | ELIM | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 09 | Deepali & Jamuna | IN | WIN | LOW | EXC | HIGH | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | LOW | PT | PT | PT | PT | ELIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Parvati & Himang | IN | LOW | EXC | WIN | IN | WIN | IMM | IN | IN | WIN | IMM | LOW | EXC | ELIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Vishnu & Harshini | IN | LOW | EXC | IN | IN | LOW | PT | IN | IN | LOW | ELIM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Raksha & Kanchana | IN | LOW | EXC | WIN | IN | LOW | ELIM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- (WINNER) The pair won the competition.
- (RUNNER-UP) The pair finished as runner-up in the finals.
- (THIRD) The pair placed third in the finals.
- (WIN) The pair won an individual challenge.
- (WIN) The pair won a team challenge.
- (HIGH) The pair was one of the top entries in an individual challenge.
- (HIGH) The pair was one of the top entries in a team challenge.
- (IN) The pair wasn't selected as a top or bottom entry in an individual challenge.
- (IN) The pair wasn't selected as a top or bottom entry in a team challenge.
- (IN) The pair dish wasn’t tasted but advanced.
- (LOW) The pair was one of the bottom entries in an individual challenge.
- (LOW) The pair was one of the bottom entries in a team challenge.
- (EXC) The pair was excluded from the challenge.
- (HI) The pair was excluded from the challenge due to health issues.
- (IMM) The pair participated in the challenge but was safe from elimination.
- (IMM) The pair didn't participate in the challenge as he/she had already advanced to the next week.
- (IMM) The pair was saved via advantage and didn't have to compete in the challenge.
- (IMN) The pair won an immunity pin in an Immunity pin challenge.
- (PIN) The pair used an immunity pin to be exempted from the elimination challenge.
- (PT) The pair competed in the black apron challenge in elimination round, and advanced.
- (WDR) The pair withdrew from MasterChef Kitchen.
- (ELIM) The pair was eliminated from MasterChef Kitchen.
- (VIS) The pair returned to MasterChef Kitchen as a guest and participated in a challenge.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Rishton Ka Sawad" | Soumyajit Roy | 5 January 2026 | |
|
Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, and Kunal Kapur welcomed the contestants and introduced the season's new twist, with participants competing in pairs. In the audition round, pairs from different regions competed for a place in the competition. The episode focused on preliminary auditions held across multiple regions, including Mumbai, Punjab, Delhi, and Rajasthan, While no formal challenges were conducted, participants presented their dishes to the judges while the episode highlighted the personal stories of participants, including a chef from Bikaner advocating for women in cooking, a home cook from Maharashtra, and a father-daughter duo representing their community's cuisine.[3] | ||||
| 2 | "Swaad Ke Jaadu Ka Pitara" | Soumyajit Roy | 6 January 2026 | |
| 3 | "Rishta Plate Mein" | Soumyajit Roy | 7 January 2026 | |
| 4 | "Swaad Aur Rishton Ki Mithaas" | Soumyajit Roy | 8 January 2026 | |
| 5 | "Agnee Pariksha" | Soumyajit Roy | 9 January 2026 | |
| 6 | "Divine Mystery Box" | Soumyajit Roy | 12 January 2026 | |
| 7 | "Anna Mahotsav" | Soumyajit Roy | 13 January 2026 | |
| 8 | "Celebrating the Harvest Season" | Soumyajit Roy | 14 January 2026 | |
| 9 | "Army Day Celebrations" | Soumyajit Roy | 15 January 2026 | |
| 10 | "The Great Indian Mishtan" | Soumyajit Roy | 16 January 2026 | |
| 11 | "Shaadi Ki Rasmein" | Soumyajit Roy | 19 January 2026 | |
| 12 | "Haldi Aur Mehendi" | Soumyajit Roy | 20 January 2026 | |
| 13 | "Shaadi Ka Shubh Muharat" | Soumyajit Roy | 21 January 2026 | |
| 14 | "Baraatiyo Ka Swagat" | Soumyajit Roy | 22 January 2026 | |
| 15 | "First Elimination Challenge By Chef Kunal Kapur" | Soumyajit Roy | 23 January 2026 | |
| 16 | "Har Plate Mein India" | Soumyajit Roy | 26 January 2026 | |
| 17 | "The Modak Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 27 January 2026 | |
| 18 | "Reinventing Kapoor Family's Favourite Dishes" | Soumyajit Roy | 28 January 2026 | |
| 19 | "Restaurant Takeover Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 29 January 2026 | |
| 20 | "Pehla Pressure Test" | Soumyajit Roy | 30 January 2026 | |
| 21 | "Organ Mystery Box" | Soumyajit Roy | 2 February 2026 | |
| 22 | "Kitty Party Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 3 February 2026 | |
| 23 | "Kitty Party Platter" | Soumyajit Roy | 4 February 2026 | |
| 24 | "One Pot Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 5 February 2026 | |
| 25 | "Cook Along Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 6 February 2026 | |
| 26 | "No Gas, No Water Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 9 February 2026 | |
| 27 | "7-Course Meal Team Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 10 February 2026 | |
| 28 | "Seven Courses, One Verdict" | Soumyajit Roy | 11 February 2026 | |
| 29 | "The Lucky Dip Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 12 February 2026 | |
| 30 | "Blind Wall Elimination Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 13 February 2026 | |
| 31 | "Childhood On A Plate Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 16 February 2026 | |
| 32 | "Soch, Surat Aur Swaad" | Soumyajit Roy | 17 February 2026 | |
| 33 | "Get-Set Chocolate" | Soumyajit Roy | 18 February 2026 | |
| 34 | "Ghar Ka Khaana Adla Badli Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 19 February 2026 | |
| 35 | "Potato Meets Different Cuisines" | Soumyajit Roy | 20 February 2026 | |
| 36 | "Fire And Ice Mystery Box Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 23 February 2026 | |
| 37 | "The Monsoon ASMR Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 24 February 2026 | |
| 38 | "Tribute To Mumbai Challenge" | Soumyajit Roy | 25 February 2026 | |
| 39 | "Get Set Mumbai" | Soumyajit Roy | 26 February 2026 | |
| 40 | "Chausar Ka Khel" | Soumyajit Roy | 27 February 2026 | |
Guests
| Sl.No | Guests | Episode | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shilpa Shetty | Episodes 7-8 | 13-14 January 2026 |
| 2 | Col. Rajeev Bharwan, Lt Col. Kaushlendra Singh, Col. Kaushal Kashyap | Episode 9 | 15 January 2026 |
| 3 | Yash Singh and Munna Maharaj | Episode 11 | 19 January 2026 |
| 4 | Sanket Bhosale and Sugandha Mishra | Episode 12 | 20 January 2026 |
| 5 | Chunky Panday and Bhavana Panday | Episodes 13-14 | 21-22 January 2026 |
| 6 | Irina Rudakova and Agu Stanley | Episode 16 | 26 January 2026 |
| 7 | Karisma Kapoor | Episode 17-18 | 27-28 January 2026 |
| 8 | Acharya Manish | Episode 21 | 02 February 2026 |
| 9 | Sunita Ahuja | Episode 22-23 | 03-04 February 2026 |
| 10 | Neena Gupta and Sanjay Mishra | Episode 24 | 05 February 2026 |
| 11 | Bindu Khanna, Surinder Kaur and Veena Kapur | Episode 31 | 16 February 2026 |
| 12 | Sanjeev Kapoor | Episode 45 | 06 March 2026 |
References
- ^ Mohinta, Srujani (17 December 2025). "MasterChef India Season 9: Premiere Date, Theme And What Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapur & Ranveer Brar Studied To Become Chefs". Zee News. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- ^ "Ranveer Brar, Kunal Kapoor on 'MasterChef India': Brought recognition, knowledge to food industry". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2026. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- ^ "Ep1.Rishton Ka Swaad". Sony LIV. Retrieved 10 January 2026.