Shehzad Poonawalla’s Team Responds After Physical Clash on Reality Show Leads to Co-Contestant’s Eviction
A physical altercation between two contestants on the reality series Rise And Fall 2 has drawn public statements from both sides after one participant was removed from the show.
Former political spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla and actor Siwet Tomar, known for earlier appearances on other reality programmes, became involved in a heated exchange that turned physical. The incident occurred during the “Ultimate Ruler” task and also involved discussion with actor Swara Bhasker. Poonawalla’s shirt was torn in the scuffle. After reviewing the episode, the makers of the series, streaming on MX Player, evicted Siwet Tomar.
Hours after clips of the confrontation circulated online, Poonawalla’s team issued a statement on Instagram. Without naming the other contestant, the message thanked supporters and described a pattern of verbal abuse and mockery that Poonawalla had met with silence. It noted that he lost his father at a young age, that his mother is ageing, and that he shares a difficult relationship with his brother due to ideological differences. The statement said he had joined the show to work and earn a living, yet faced verbal provocation and what it described as a physical attack from behind. It added that even under provocation he chose to respond with maturity and respect, and concluded that his spirit could not be defeated: “He will rise again, every single day, stronger than before.”
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Siwet Tomar addressed the controversy in an Instagram vlog. He stated that he had only held Poonawalla by the collar and denied claims that he struck him from behind. According to Tomar, as he approached, Poonawalla turned around so the two were face to face. He said there was a brief period when no one else was nearby and that if he had intended further violence he could have acted then, but limited himself to holding the collar. Tomar also claimed the exchange had involved continuous provocation lasting at least 20 minutes.
The episode marks an early flashpoint for the recently premiered series and has prompted competing accounts of how the confrontation unfolded.