Amazon MX Player’s reality show Rise and Fall Season 2 has sparked controversy just days after its launch. A heated clash between contestants Shehzad Poonawalla and Siwet Tomar turned physical inside the house, leading to a serious fight that later went viral and even resulted in Siwet’s eviction from the show.
What actually happened
It started small, during an episode of the Virender Sehwag-hosted show. Shehzad Poonawalla and Swara Bhasker got into an argument, and things escalated fast inside the house.
Then Siwet Tomar stepped in. He reportedly reacted strongly to something Shehzad said, and from there, things spiralled. Siwet grabbed Shehzad, pushed him, and in the scuffle that followed, Shehzad’s clothes got torn.
The fallout was immediate: Siwet was evicted from the show.
Once the episode aired, Shehzad’s team didn’t stay quiet. They put out a strong statement defending him, insisting he’d stayed calm despite repeated provocation.
Per their account, Shehzad was verbally targeted more than once but never reacted aggressively. They also brought up his background, emotional struggles early in life, and a decision to join the show partly to work and earn a living. Even under pressure, they said, he held onto his dignity throughout. The team closed by thanking supporters, adding that incidents like this won’t break his spirit.
Siwet, for his part, posted a detailed video on Instagram laying out his version. He didn’t deny that physical aggression was wrong, but he defended his reaction, saying the provocation had been building for days.
According to him, he’d faced remarks tied to religion and caste repeatedly, and it got to him. He also pushed back on claims that he’d attacked Shehzad from behind, insisting the confrontation happened face-to-face, in the heat of the moment. Had he actually meant serious harm, he said, things would’ve played out very differently; as it was, he’d only grabbed Shehzad’s collar.
He was careful to add that he has no issue with any particular religion; his problem, he said, is with anyone who spreads hate or stirs division, and he admitted something else too: he walked away from a show he genuinely wanted to win, because of how the conflict unfolded.
On religion and politics
Siwet didn’t stop there. He also spoke more broadly about religion and politics, saying he doesn’t believe those topics should be weaponised to create disputes. His stance, he said, is respect for all communities and moving forward as a nation, together.
In a separate post, he was blunt about where he stands with Shehzad specifically: no engagement, not unless there’s a proper apology. Personal boundary, he called it, and a matter of respect.
He also put out a pointed message on social media, essentially saying that when the other side chose to play dirty, he gave back exactly what he felt was deserved, a clear jab aimed at the incident with Shehzad.
This clash has already become one of the biggest talking points to come out of Rise and Fall Season 2 so far. Two contestants, two very different stories and fans are clearly picking sides. As the show moves forward, don’t expect this controversy to fade quietly.
