The 50 Finale: Shiv Thakare Wins Season 1 Title, Takes Home Rs 50 Lakh Prize For Top Fan

Banijay Asia's The 50 wrapped up its debut season on Sunday, March 22, with Shiv Thakare emerging as the winner among five finalists -Faisal Shaikh aka Mr Faisu, Rajat Dalal, Krishna Shroff, and Immortal Kaka. Along with the trophy, Thakare won a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh, which will be awarded to his top-registered follower, Sitaram Pralhad Aghav.

The grand finale, streamed on JioHotstar and aired on Colors TV, kicked off with the re-entry of evicted contestants. The high-energy evening was set in motion with the Dhurandhar title track, followed by lively dance and music performances by Archana Gautam, Faisal Shaikh, and Dino. Despite the entertainment, the focus remained firmly on the finalists.

The finale featured tasks designed to test strategy, endurance, and speed. In the first challenge, contestants had to decide who to eliminate from the Top 5 by collecting gold stones and placing them in a basket. Rajat Dalal was eliminated, narrowing the competition to four. The final task was a multi-stage challenge involving target practice, wall-breaking, rope untangling, and puzzle-solving. The contestant who completed all stages in the shortest time was declared the winner.

Earlier, in the semi-finals, Thakare faced tough competition from Prince Narula, Archana Gautam, Manisha Rani, Nehal Chudasama, Ridhi Dogra, and Urvashi Dholakia. A defining moment came when Prince Narula won the ticket to the finale but chose to pass it on to Thakare, saying he had already won several reality shows and wanted younger contestants to shine.

Speaking about his victory, Shiv Thakare said, "The 50 was a completely new experience for me, and I wanted to show a different side of Shiv Thakare, one that believes you don't need to shout or fight to be heard. You can play with heart, stay true to yourself, and still win. Being the winner of the very first season, especially among 50 strong players, is something that will always be remembered, and that makes me incredibly happy. This was also a game of alliances, and I'm proud that my people stood strong with me throughout."

He also dedicated his trophy to Prince Narula for giving up his semi-final ticket and helping him secure a place in the finale.

Shiv's registered follower, Sitaram Prahlad Aghav, commented, "My family and I do farming. I was very happy, but was also afraid that maybe it's a fraud. I followed you because I have watched your previous shows. I dreamt of getting my parents a car and house, so I will now be able to give them that."

The show premiered on February 1 with 50 contestants and quickly became one of the most-watched OTT shows, garnering 6.5 million views on JioHotstar, according to Ormax Media. This achievement was particularly notable given the stiff competition from major sporting events like the ICC Cricket World Cup, women's international cricket, and premium scripted content such as Dhurandhar.