Sanjeev Kapoor reveals the surprising 'Re 1 more factor' behind his MasterChef India exit
Why Sanjeev Kapoor Was Dropped
Kapoor, known for revolutionizing Indian cooking shows with his long-running program Khana Khazana, explained that when the showrunners of MasterChef India approached him, they informed him that Akshay Kumar had already been signed as a judge. Despite being a close friend of Akshay and acknowledging his professionalism, Kapoor felt that as a chef, he should be compensated slightly more than the Bollywood actor. «This is my field,» Kapoor reasoned, during his conversation with host Siddharth Kannan.
The chef's demand to be paid Re 1 more than Akshay Kumar left the show's producers shocked. As a result, they decided not to sign Kapoor for the first season. Akshay Kumar went on to judge the first two seasons alongside chefs Kunal Kapur and Ajay Chopra.
Sanjeev Kapoor's MasterChef Return
However, the story didn’t end there. After Akshay's departure from the show, the producers returned to Kapoor, offering him a spot on the judging panel for the third season. This time, Kapoor signed on his terms, marking his debut on the show in season three. Despite his initial demands, Kapoor later reflected that the time and effort he invested in the show did not match the returns, leading to his eventual exit after a few seasons.
Since then, MasterChef India has seen a variety of chefs step in as judges, with Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar becoming long-standing figures on the show. Kapoor’s brief stint, however, remains a memorable chapter in the history of the show, as it highlights the balance
