Shehzad Poonawalla wins Rise & Fall Season 2, takes home Rs. 35 lakhs prize money; pledges to donate it to flood relief

Political commentator Shehzad Poonawalla has emerged as the winner of Rise & Fall Season 2, hosted by former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag. He lifted the trophy on November 6, finishing ahead of fellow contestants Priyanka Chahar Choudhary and Gautam Gulati. Along with the title, Shehzad won the cash prize of Rs. 35 lakhs, which he pledged to donate towards flood-relief efforts.

The second season of the reality show featured contestants competing in a Rulers-versus-Workers format, where power, strategy and task performances played an important role in determining their positions inside the house. Shehzad entered the competition as a non-entertainment contestant but gradually became one of the prominent personalities of the season.

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Shehzad Poonawalla's journey on Rise & Fall Season 2 His stint was marked by several confrontations and changes in the power dynamics of the house. One of the major incidents involved a physical altercation with fellow contestant Siwet Tomar, which eventually led to Siwet's ejection from the show. Shehzad also had repeated disagreements with Swara Bhasker and other contestants.

Despite the controversies, he managed to secure multiple stints as the Ultimate Ruler and eventually won the Ticket to Finale, strengthening his position in the competition. His brother, Tehseen Poonawalla, also featured on the show as a panellist.

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From political commentator to reality show winner Before entering reality television, Shehzad was associated with the Indian National Congress between 2008 and 2017, during which he rose to the position of secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. He later publicly criticised the party's 2017 presidential election process, calling it “rigged” in favour of Rahul Gandhi.

He subsequently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where he served as a National Spokesperson and handled its Delhi IT and Social Media responsibilities. In August 2026, he announced his resignation from the party, citing financial and personal reasons, while maintaining his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

Also Read: Rise and Fall 2: Sara Gurpal injured during Workers’ task; clashes with Shehzad Poonawalla over ‘biased’ verdict