For Bigg Boss Kannada, the grand finale will effectively be only a one-day affair. Traditionally the weekend finale is divided into two parts: a Saturday buildup made up of guest appearances and partial eliminations followed by the Sunday evening crowning. However, host Kichcha Sudeep won't be attending on Saturday, January 17, because of his work commitments in the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) 2026.
The CCL connection: Vizag to Bengaluru
The delay stems from a scheduling conflict. In the opening match of CCL Season 12 held in Visakhapatnam on Friday, January 16, Sudeep led the Karnataka Bulldozers to a spectacular victory against 'Punjab De Sher'. Because the match ended late at night and it would be a tough logistical thing for the host to drive back to the Bengaluru sets for an early shoot on Saturday, the makers had also suggested they push the host segments to Sunday.
While social media has been flooded with dejected fans, the production crew said that the “missing” Saturday slot will continue to have an actual episode, featuring possible dance numbers of the finalists as well as highlight reels of their journeys.
The finalists: Who'll Come Out the Chief on top The Final Six?
After Dhruvanth’s emotional midweek eviction, six contestants are on their way to the final stage. This is a very tight space, full of experienced and fan favorites competing for prize money of ₹50 lakh.
- Gilli Nata: Widely seen as a contender, given his enormous number of followers and steady game.
- Ashwini Gowda: A physically gifted individual, she never stops growing emotionally.
- Dhanush Gowda: The first contestant to win a "Ticket to Finale."
- Kavya Shaiva: Solid contender with multiple nominations under her belt.
- Rakshitha Shetty: One of the fan favorites and one who has been an ever-resilient hero.
- Raghu: A wild card who overcame the odds to make it to the top six.
Voting and Finale Schedule
To preserve their favorite contestant, voting lines on the JioHotstar app will be open until 10:00 AM on Sunday, January 18. This extended time frame will guarantee that all major eliminations shrinking the six finalists to the winner and runner-up in one high-octane broadcast will take place in one shot. The Grand Finale episode is set to start airing on Colors Kannada at 6:00 PM Sunday.
