The fifth season of Cooku With Comali brought together a delightful mix of cooking challenges, comedy, camaraderie, and competition, and by the finale, six standout participants emerged as finalists who captured both the judges’ praise and the audience’s affection. These finalists combined culinary skills with quick thinking, humor, and teamwork, making the journey to the grand finale one filled with excitement and surprises. From leveraging their personal strengths to navigating unexpected tasks with their comali partners, the finalists of Season 5 proved that this show is as much about personality and creativity as it is about cooking.
Meet the Season 5 Finalists
Priyanka Deshpande (Winner)
Priyanka Deshpande emerged as the winner of Season 5, showcasing consistent performance, adaptability, and an impressive mix of taste and presentation. Known primarily for her television hosting and dynamic onscreen presence, Priyanka took the heat in the kitchen with confidence. Her journey featured repeated Chef of the Week titles and Advantage Winner statuses, reflecting her dominance in the competition. Her win underscored the importance of versatility she could manage time, partner dynamics (with a comali), and cooking under pressure.
Sujitha Dhanush (First Runner-Up)
Sujitha Dhanush, a seasoned actress turned competitor, held her own throughout the season and finished as the first runnerup. With multiple strong performances, Sujitha impressed the judges with her careful flavor work and ability to handle tough tasks, even when paired with comalis who may have added chaos. Her stability in the later rounds and her emotional connection with the show gave her a strong fan base. Sujitha’s journey highlights how resilience and consistency matter in a format that demands both craft and entertainment.
Mohamed Irfan (Second RunnerUp)
Mohamed Irfan, known originally for his YouTube cooking content, brought his familiar food skills and charming persona into the competition. He secured the second runnerup position, rounding out the top three with a performance that balanced creativity and audience appeal. His evolution on the show from tackling fun tasks to mastering serious cooking rounds demonstrates how the show allows contestants to grow visibly in front of viewers. Irfan’s participation also brought attention to the crossover between online cooking content and reality television.
Pooja Venkat (Top 6 Finalist)
Pooja Venkat, a wellknown singer and television personality, was among the six finalists of Season 5. Although not in the top three, her presence in the final stage was earned through consistent energy and willingness to experiment. She demonstrated that branching into cooking from a different entertainment background can be successful with the right mindset. Pooja’s approach often leaned toward bold flavor choices, and she used her platform to bring viewers into her culinary world.
Shaalin Zoya (Top 6 Finalist)
Shaalin Zoya, who had previously made a mark in acting and anchoring, also made it to the finals of this culinary entertainment show. Her journey stood out for how she adapted to the unpredictable tasks involving comalis, kitchen setups, and time limits. While her traditional background might not have been in cooking, she used the platform to showcase her willingness to learn and improve. Her presence added diversity to the finalist pool, providing inspiration for viewers who bring unlikely skill sets to the competition.
VTV Ganesh (Top 6 Finalist)
Comedianactor VTV Ganesh completed the list of finalists for Season 5. His comedic background and fame in telefilms and television gave him a natural flair for the show’s humorous elements, but he surprised many by demonstrating a solid understanding of cooking fundamentals. As a finalist, his participation emphasised how entertainment factor and personality remain vital in this format, alongside culinary competence. His connection with the audience through laughter and relatable moments strengthened his place in the final six.
What Set the Finalists Apart?
The six finalists of Season 5 shared key qualities that helped them advance consistency, adaptability, teamwork with their comali partner, strong flavor execution, and audience connection. Here are some of the standout features
- Versatility in the kitchenBeing able to handle a variety of cuisines, special ingredients, and unexpected twists.
- Comali coordinationThe show’s format pairs each cook with a comali (a comedic assistant), so finalists who achieved good synergy often succeeded.
- Audience appealPersonality matters. Finalists who could engage viewers through expressions, stories, or humor gained extra traction.
- Time management and presentationDelivering dishes that looked good and tasted great within limited time slots.
- Growth trajectoryViewers and judges noticed when a contestant improved week by week or bounced back from setbacks.
Highlights from the Final Stage
In the grand finale of Season 5, high tensions met high expectations. The top six finalists competed in tasks that pushed their creativity, resilience, and ability to deliver under intense kitchen pressure. Each finalist brought their own flavor literally and figuratively to the table.
Priyanka’s win was built on consistent high performance and her ability to keep calm under pressure. Sujitha’s strong showing throughout brought faith from viewers and judges alike. Irfan’s growth from digital chef to realityshow finalist marked a narrative arc many found inspiring.
Meanwhile Pooja, Shaalin Zoya, and VTV Ganesh brought balance to the mix, representing different backgrounds and styles, and easing themselves into the final seven (or six) by leveraging strengths in unique ways through daring flavor combinations, entertaining comali moments, or strong personal stories.
The Impact of Finalists on the Show’s Popularity
The presence of these finalists helped Season 5 maintain high ratings and buzz on social media. When known personalities like Priyanka and VTV Ganesh engage in actual cooking tasks, viewers from outside the standard realityshow audience tuned in. Digital creators like Irfan drew younger audiences and added fresh energy. The diversity of finalists made the competition relatable to a wider demographic fans of hosting, acting, digital content, and food alike.
Finalists also shaped the show’s narrative. Their wins and eliminations created emotional moments when a favorite cook paired with a comali stumbled or when a darkhorse contestant surprised the judges. The storytelling around finalists kept viewers invested week after week.
Looking Ahead What the Finalists Achieved and What’s Next
For the finalists of Season 5, reaching the final stage brought benefits beyond winning the title. Exposure on one of Tamil television’s popular weekend slots gave massive visibility. Winners and runnerups received not just trophies but increased opportunities hosting segments, collaborations in digital content, and endorsements.
Priyanka’s win further cemented her status as a multitalented television personality. Sujitha’s runnerup status reinforced her credibility in reality formats. Irfan’s visibility jump opened doors in both entertainment and digital cooking spaces. For the other finalists, even without winning, being part of the finale elevated their public profiles.
The Cooku With Comali Season 5 finalists Priyanka Deshpande, Sujitha Dhanush, Mohamed Irfan, Pooja Venkat, Shaalin Zoya, and VTV Ganesh represent a remarkable blend of talent, strategy, entertainment, and authenticity. Their journey through kitchen battles, comali chaos, and audience expectations made for a compelling season. The showdown at the finale highlighted the strengths of each finalist and showed what it takes to win or simply make it to the top. Whether one tuned in for cooking, comedy, or celebrity moments, the finalists of Season 5 delivered. Their participation has left a lasting impression on the show and set the bar for future seasons of this beloved reality cooking series.