The Traitors winner Nikita Luther opens up about the show, her future plans and more

Ria Sharma 

Known as one of India’s top poker players, Nikita Luther won Karan Johar’s high-stakes reality show The Traitors alongside Uorfi Javed by defeating the traitors. In this exclusive interview, she opens up about her roller coaster journey on The Traitors and how her poker skills came in handy. With honesty, she also shut down rumours of the show being scripted. Excerpts: 

Q. How was your experience being a part of The Traitors?

A. It was intense, like living in a pressure cooker where you can’t trust anything except your own instincts. Every look, every silence, every alliance felt like a move on a giant chessboard. I signed up for a game but it ended up teaching me a lot about people.

Q. You’re known as one of India’s top poker players. What made you say yes to The Traitors?

A. The concept was strategy-driven not your typical chaos-for-TRP reality show. I was promised a format where intellect mattered more than drama. Of course, drama and toxicity eventually crept in, but I stayed focused on playing the long game. That part never changed for me.

Q. Are you enjoying the attention you’re getting after the show?

A. It’s interesting. People are seeing a different personality and not the usual reality TV version. That shift has been refreshing for the audience. Hopefully, in a good way.

Q. How did you feel when you were eliminated by Elnaaz Norouzi on the very first day?

A. I understood her move. She wanted to eliminate a threat early, before things got messy. A smart decision in theory. But here’s the twist, I came back. And I thrive in chaos. She lit the match and I let it burn.

Q. Did you have an advantage in the game since you’re a poker player?

A. Yes, especially when it came to reading people and picking up on subtle cues. But The Traitors messes with your perception in ways poker doesn’t. You’re dealing with emotions, shifting alliances, and cameras. It’s a whole different beast.

Q. Did you make any friends during the show?

A. A few people were genuinely real like Lakshmi Manchu, Maheep Kapoor, Raftaar, Mukesh Chhabra, Uorfi, Jasmine Bhasin, Purav Jha, and Karan Kundrra. Those connections were unexpected but meaningful.

Q. A video has gone viral in which Apoorva Mukhija and Sufi Motiwala are seen mocking you as you pass by. Your comments?

A. I saw the clip. It didn’t bother me. I had no issues with them during the show, and I still don’t. When people resort to mockery, it usually says more about them than the person they’re mocking. I’ve always believed that grace under pressure reveals more than words. I stayed focussed on the game.

Q. Netizens are saying The Traitors looks scripted. What would you like to say about that?

A. Everything that happened was real: the tension, the paranoia, the eliminations. That’s exactly why the show worked. Nothing was scripted.

Q. Are you open to participating in other reality shows like Bigg Boss?

A. I’m open to reality shows if the format is interesting. But I’m not made for screaming matches or fake controversies, so Bigg Boss doesn’t appeal to me. If it’s strategic and psychological, I’m listening. Otherwise, I’d rather stick to  real games.