It hasn't even been a month since the reality web series Rise And Fall 2 premiered on MX Player, and viewers have already witnessed a heated clash between contestants. Former BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla and actor Siwet Tomar made headlines after their verbal argument escalated into a physical fight.
Siwet Tomar, known for other reality TV shows MTV Roadies, MTV Splitsvilla and The 50, was evicted from the show after the altercation on Rise And Fall 2.
Hours after the video clips of their fight went viral on social media, Shehzad Poonawalla's team released a statement on Instagram, thanking fans and followers for their support.
Without taking Siwet Tomar's name, his team also challenged Shehzad Poonawalla's detractors.
"They abused him, he was silent. They mocked him, he was silent. Then they hit him, he was silent. Shehzad lost his father when he was just a child. His mother is growing older, and he doesn't share an easy relationship with his brother because of their ideological differences. He came to the show to play, work and earn his livelihood, yet you chose to abuse and attack him physically from behind.
"Even when you provoked him with your words, Shehzad chose to respond with maturity and treated everyone with respect. That says more about you than it ever could about him. People are watching. You can abuse him, try to silence him or push him down but you cannot defeat his spirit. He will rise again, every single day, stronger than before," the statement read.
"Thank you to everyone for this overwhelming love and support," it added.
Siwet Tomar also reacted to the controversy, saying he only held Shehzad Poonawalla "by the collar".
"Many people told me I hit him from behind. Honestly, when I was walking towards him, he turned around. So if you see the next cut, I'm face-to-face with him, I'm holding him by the collar.
"Then I had five seconds with him when no one else was near us. If I wanted to hit him, I would've thrashed him right there. I was just holding his collar. It was a constant provocation for at least 20 minutes," Siwet said in a vlog on his Instagram.
Huge Physical Kalesh b/w Siwet Tomar and Shehzad Poonawalla: pic.twitter.com/ydX1UD244v
— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) September 28, 2026
The fight between Shehzad Poonawalla and Siwet Tomar broke out during the 'Ultimate Ruler' task on Rise And Fall 2 when a discussion, also involving actor Swara Bhasker, led to a tussel following which Shehzad's shirt was torn. The makers evicted Siwet Tomar from the show after a review.
Also Read | Rise And Fall 2: Siwet Tomar Eliminated After Physical Fight With Shehzad Poonawalla
