Sahil Salathia, the first contestant eliminated from the Indian adaptation of the reality series 'The Traitors', has expressed his profound disappointment and heartbreak over being ousted so early in the game, especially by Elnaaz Norouzi, whom he considered a close friend of eight years. In a series of emotional social media posts and interviews, Salathia didn't hold back his feelings of betrayal, stating that Elnaaz's actions felt like the "lowest of the low".

Salathia's elimination came as a shock after he was "murdered" by the secret traitors, Elnaaz Norouzi, Raj Kundra, and Purav Jha, in the debut episode. He questioned Elnaaz's motives, asking what she gained by eliminating her best friend of eight years over 17 other contestants. He acknowledged that some might see him as overly emotional, but defended his reaction, emphasizing that the betrayal cut deep because it came from someone he considered family.

"What did Elnaaz get after killing her best friend of 8 years?" he asked emotionally, adding, "You've changed how I look at people now". Sahil even considered therapy after the betrayal.

In an interview, Salathia revealed the extent of his devastation, stating that he felt "humiliated" and "worthless" after the elimination. He described Elnaaz as someone who "literally was my family in Bombay" and expressed disbelief that she didn't even apologize to him. He admitted to feeling suicidal after the show, a testament to the emotional impact of the experience.

Salathia also shared that he had suspected Elnaaz of being a traitor, noting that she had been acting irritated. He recounted an incident at the trailer launch of 'The Traitors' where Elnaaz allegedly ignored him, making him feel unseen and unimportant. He expressed his disappointment, stating, "I wanted to be seen and you took that opportunity away from me".

Adding to his distress, Salathia claimed he never received an apology from Elnaaz and felt like he was portrayed as the "bad guy". He elaborated on the emotional aftermath of the show, explaining why Elnaaz's betrayal affected him so deeply and how he contemplated seeking therapy to process his feelings.

However, some fans have pointed out that Sahil didn't choose Elnaaz when Karan Johar asked the contestants to name the one person they trusted the most. Sahil chose Urfi Javed instead. One fan wrote, “Then why didn't you choose her in the first place, man”. Another fan questioned, "Isn't that the real name of the show “TRAITORS.”?"