by The first Immunity Pin Challenge of MasterChef India Season 9 took place in Episode 10, which aired on January 16, 2026. Six pairs of contestants competed in this challenge, where they had to reinvent traditional Indian sweets in a two-hour-long cooking battle. The challenge also featured an interesting twist that made things even more difficult for the participants.
Chefs Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapur, and Ranveer Brar judged the challenge and observed all six pairs closely. The pair of Archana and Rupali enjoyed a special advantage for their outstanding performance in the Indian Army Regiments-themed challenge in the previous episode.
The episode began with host Paritosh Tripathi and the three judges entering the MasterChef kitchen, followed by the six participating pairs. Archana and Rupali were seen asking the judges whether their previous praise was out of pity, as other contestants had been mocking them behind the scenes. The judges clarified that all judgments are made purely on the basis of taste, innovation, and presentation—not favouritism.
Reinvent Indian Sweet Immunity Pin Challenge
The judges announced the immunity pin challenge, explaining that each pair would be given a traditional Indian sweet to reinvent in a modern way. The dish needed to stand out in taste, innovation, and presentation. The pair that impressed the judges the most would win the coveted immunity pin.
The sweets chosen for the challenge were:
- Rasgulla
- Kheer
- Laddu
- Jalebi
- Gulab Jamun
- Halwa
Special Advantage for Archana & Rupali
Because Archana and Rupali had topped the previous episode’s challenge, they were given the power to assign sweets to all six pairs, including themselves. Their selections were as follows:
- Archana & Rupali – Laddu
- Mehfooz & Yasmin – Rasgulla
- Anshmeet & Prabhdeep – Gulab Jamun
- Venu & Avni – Halwa
- Anju & Manju – Jalebi
- Vikram & Ajinkya – Kheer
Rules of the Immunity Pin Challenge
- The total cooking time was 120 minutes.
- The MasterChef Pantry remained closed throughout the challenge.
The Swap Twist
Before the challenge began, the judges introduced a twist—only one partner from each pair could cook at a time. A gong sound signaled when the partners had to swap positions. The non-cooking partner could still guide and communicate during the process.
Starting cooks from each pair:
- Archana Dhotre and Rupali Jadhav (special advantage: both started together)
- Mehfooz Ansari
- Prabhdeep Kaur
- Avni Sharma
- Manju Ojha
- Ajinkya Gandhe
After the first swap (after 30 minutes):
- Archana
- Yasmin Ansari
- Anshmeet Singh
- Venu Sharma
- Anju Pradhan
- Vikram Gandhe
After the second swap (after 1 hour):
- Rupali Jadhav
- Mehfooz Ansari
- Prabhdeep Kaur
- Avni Sharma
- Manju Ojha
- Ajinkya Gandhe
With just 15 minutes remaining, the judges announced good news—both partners could cook together and plating was allowed jointly during the final stage.
Dishes Cooked by Each Pair
After 120 minutes, all six pairs presented their reinvented versions of traditional sweets:
- Archana Dhotre & Rupali Jadhav – Sticky Khajur Pudding
- Mehfooz Ansari & Yasmin Ansari – Rang Badalte Rasgulle
- Anshmeet Singh & Prabhdeep Kaur – Toshe Ka Tohfa
- Avni Sharma & Venu Sharma – Deep Aradhana
- Anju Pradhan & Manju Ojha – Jalebi Bakhlava
- Vikram Gandhe & Ajinkya Gandhe – Sheer Dhara
Best Dish and Immunity Pin Winners
- Avni Sharma and Venu Sharma
After tasting all the dishes, the judges declared Avni Sharma and Venu Sharma the winners of the Immunity Pin Challenge. Their dish, Deep Aradhana, impressed the judges most with its exceptional taste, creativity, and presentation.
Next Episode Precap: Episode 11 of MasterChef India Season 9 promises another exciting cooking challenge featuring all twelve pairs of contestants—and viewers will also witness the first elimination of the season.
Stay tuned for more updates on MasterChef India Season 9! For queries or episode-related discussions, feel free to leave a comment below.
