Bigg Boss 5: The final face-off

98 days in a house with no contact with the outside world - kick started with 17 contestants and 3 guests, Bigg Boss Season 5 is now all set to end with a bang.

With only 5 contestants remaining who are trying to survive the Bigg Boss ordeal for the whopping one crore rupees - the show has garnered all the media attention and the TRP's over the last few weeks.

Amar, Juhi, Sky, Sid and Mahek are the five who have managed to stick it out till the finale. And as the curtains come down today on one of the biggest reality shows on Indian national television - bets are running high on who might bag it all.

While Amar and Juhi are hoping to score on the fan following they have from their 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and 'Kumkum' days - younger blood Sid and Mahek are hoping to bag the popularity votes. Sky on the other hand is hoping that his loud fights and drama inside the house can get him the entertainment votes. Well...they can all be 'hopeful'.

In a slight flashback of sorts - Sky was one of the contestants who diligently chose his 'group' and fought even more diligently with all other house mates. Known otherwise as Akashdeep Saigal - the former model stormed off during the 'Aapka Farmaan' sessions, refused to do tasks, fought endlessly. Told off often by Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt both - Sky seemed stubborn and almost irritating during his time in the house. The audience reaction shown to the finalists had some people calling him the 'Dolly Bindra' of this season.

Sid shifted allegiance once and got isolated for a good few weeks, making friends and losing them to evictions - he found his ground when Mahek returned as the wild card entry. Sid has through out his time in the house - been the youngest contestant and has tried to maintain a peaceful demeanor after being told off by Salman Khan. He was the reason for Pooja Missra's eviction from the house - though the two seemed to have made up their differences when Pooja Missra returned for a short stint with Andrew Symonds. MTV VJ Siddarth Bharadwaj has already won 'Splitsvilla Season 2' - will the reality show experience help him this time?

Juhi sided with Pooja Bedi, Sky and later Sunny Leone, from day one and her allegiance has remained unshaken - almost absurdly so. She evaded fights as much as possible but towards the end - there was no stopping this judgmental true blood 'bharatiya nari'. A sister and a wife - as she kept holding these two badges up as her defense through out the show - it had most of the audience wondering why she needed to stand behind Sky.

Amar Upadhyay made it clear that he was playing the game and he would play it not matter what the costs. Accused of being too 'touchy feely' by Shonali Nagrani and later Sunny Leone - Amar stuck to his course of making things work for him. He's one contestant who possibly made no friends in the house - choosing sides as it suited him. He was told by Salman Khan that he lacks a spine - to which came a reply - one does not need a spine to win such a show. Could he be proved wrong?

Finally Mahek Chahal has been one of the most controversial of the contestants for most believed that she was and is a Salman Khan favourite. That did not deter Mahek it seems. Voted off from the show - she returned as a wild card entry. Mahek had the worst fights with Sky in the Bigg Boss house but she held her ground staunchly. Initially at loggerheads with Sid - the two have struck a great friendship by the end of it all. Mahek's return to the house was a complete game-changer for the four who were there. While evicted contestants have called her 'stupid' and 'favoured', Mahek clearly is vying for the 'Bigg' score.

With only a few hours to go - the excitement is running high. 98 days in side the house with all possible twists, turns, tears, some happiness and the temptation of Rs 15 lakhs lying in front of the final 5 - the face-off has begun. None of the contestants took the option of bagging the lesser amount and leaving the show - the seasoned players decided to fight it out till the last breath.

It all ends tonight ladies and gentlemen - with some sizzling performances from ex-contestants and some more controversy - Pooja Bedi not being invited for the finale - and the ultimate prize - get ready for the show. Catch the live tweets from IBNLive today as it happens.