Lakshmi Manchu shuts down scripted rumours, backs Uorfi “We just played, No scripts”

The first season of The Traitors is now streaming on Prime Video and has quickly become a hit with viewers. The reality show, known for its twists and mind games, features 20 celebrity contestants, including Jannat Zubair, Uorfi Javed, Maheep Kapoor, Anshula Kapoor, Raftaar, Apoorva Mukhija, Sufi Motiwala, Elnaaz, Purav Jha, Ashish Vidyarthi, Jasmine Bhasin, Karan Kundrra, Raj Kundra, Sahil Salathia, and Lakshmi Manchu.

Amid its growing popularity, many people have been asking whether the show is scripted. In an exclusive conversation with India Forums, actress and contestant Lakshmi Manchu put those doubts to rest.

"Absolutely not. This show is definitely not scripted," Lakshmi stated. "None of us had any control over what happened on the show except for who the players were. People might think it's scripted because of how it looks, but that's due to editing. Each episode that you watch is just one hour, but we used to shoot for over 14 hours a day. The footage is edited to fit into that one-hour episode, which might make it seem scripted—but it's not."

The show was ultimately won by Uorfi Javed, which led to a wave of online trolling and criticism. When asked about Uorfi's win, Lakshmi stood by her co-contestant and showed strong support.

"Haters are going to hate," she said. "Uorfi is one of the strongest players I've seen, both on and off screen. I truly admire her strength and determination. If a man had won, people would be celebrating. But because she's a woman, she's getting hate. That's the problem with our patriarchal society."

Lakshmi went on to say that Uorfi's win is even more significant because it's the first time in the history of The Traitors—across the globe—that an innocent player has won the game in its first season. "We should give her credit for that. It's a big deal," she added. "More power to Uorfi. I completely support her and believe she deserves to be celebrated."

With a star-studded cast, gripping drama, and strong emotional moments, The Traitors has become one of the most talked-about shows on streaming right now.