Nikita Luther, co-winner of The Traitors India alongside Urfi Javed, has left many eyebrows raised by claiming that the editing on the show impacted major moments to get the show in line with what the makers wished, taking away her game planning.
The Traitors’ Editing Shaped Contestant Narratives
In a chat with Just Too Filmy, Nikita revealed that while The Traitors was not scripted, its editing was “heavily scripted” to favour certain narratives.
She noted that contestants were assigned specific archetypes, with some portrayed as heroes while others’ strategic efforts were minimized. “The editing was entirely scripted to make people heroes and throw people off the game,” Luther stated, expressing frustration over how her gameplay was underrepresented.
Nikita’s Key Gameplay Moments Omitted
A significant point of contention for Luther was the omission of her early suspicion of contestant Purav Jha, whom she identified as a traitor by Day 6. She claimed this critical moment was excluded from episodes 6 through 9 and even the finale’s “Circle of Shaq” interrogation scene.
“I knew Purav was a traitor since Day 6, and it’s nowhere,” she told Hindi Rush. Luther believes this editing choice diminished her strategic contributions to the show.
Strategic Decisions Overlooked
Luther also acknowledged that her decision to not join Purav Jha and Elnaaz Norouzi for the traitors was not shown although it was the turning point. She complained as well about this lack, skewing the public’s view of her play.
“Personas were given to actors, and for me, that did not ring true,” she complained. Luther’s poker-trained human-reading skills were understated, while others were highlighted to complement the show’s narrative.
Luther and Javed earned ₹70.05 lakh in the finale, outpacing backstabbers Purav Jha and Harsh Gujral. Hosted by Karan Johar, the Amazon Prime Video reality series has been in the spotlight for its aggressive psychological gameplay, but Luther’s assertion questions editing affecting viewer perceptions.
