# Shehzad Poonawalla Wins Rise & Fall Season 2 Trophy, Tej Pratap Yadav Cries Foul Over Voting

> Shehzad Poonawalla has emerged as the winner of the reality show Rise & Fall Season 2, with Priyanka Chahar Choudhary finishing as runner-up. Former contestant Tej Pratap Yadav sparked controversy by alleging rigged votes.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Entertainment · **Published:** 2026-11-10 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/entertainment/raija-enda-phola-2-ki-chamachamati-trophi-shehzad-poonawalla-ke-nama-tej-pratap-yadav-ne-lagaya-vota-chori-ka-aropa-58783 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Rise & Fall Season 2, Shehzad Poonawalla, Tej Pratap Yadav, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, Gautam Gulati, Virender Sehwag, Amazon MX Player, Banijay Asia

Following six intense weeks packed with strategic maneuvers, heated confrontations, and unexpected alliances, the reality competition ‘Rise & Fall Season 2’ reached its dramatic culmination. Shehzad Poonawalla outpaced the remaining competitors to secure the winner’s trophy, while Priyanka Chahar Choudhary ended her journey as the first runner-up. Popular actor Gautam Gulati claimed the spot of second runner-up, finishing third overall. Alongside the trophy, Poonawalla was awarded a cash prize of Rs 35 lakh. However, the victory was quickly overshadowed by political ripples outside the set, as former contestant and political figure Tej Pratap Yadav publicly contested the authenticity of the outcome.

## Tej Pratap Yadav Alleges Rigged Voting and Political Favoritism
Taking to social media platform X, Tej Pratap Yadav expressed intense dissatisfaction with the final results, explicitly alleging that public votes had been manipulated to engineer the victory. He argued that Gautam Gulati was the most deserving contender of the season, pointing to the substantial audience backing the actor had gathered throughout the run.

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In a direct post, Tej Pratap stated that Gautam Gulati appeared destined to secure the championship given the public affection he commanded, lamenting that reality television platforms are no longer impartial. He further directed criticism toward the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming the political outfit intervened to reward a loyal figure. He termed the final verdict an outright betrayal of the public mandate and viewer sentiments.

## Public Reaction and Online Counterarguments
Tej Pratap Yadav’s claims quickly triggered substantial pushback on social media channels, where numerous commentators scrutinized his timing. Critics observed that rather than pointing fingers at external political dynamics after the event, he should have focused on his own gameplay while inside the competition. Other users highlighted past camaraderie between the two during the broadcast, mocking the sudden hostility that emerged once the champion was crowned.

## Donation of Entire Rs 35 Lakh Prize Money
Addressing his monetary reward, Shehzad Poonawalla revealed an intention to redirect the entire Rs 35 lakh prize sum toward charitable relief efforts. The full amount has been committed to assist communities affected by devastating floods across Bihar and Assam. This philanthropic decision quickly drew widespread attention and positive reactions across media platforms.

## Poonawalla Reflects on the Grueling Six-Week Experience
Reflecting on his journey, Shehzad Poonawalla remarked that describing the emotional weight of the victory was challenging. He characterized his trajectory as an arduous test of endurance, moving between the relative privileges of the Tower and the severe privations of the Basement. Describing moments where the momentum turned against him, he credited patience, consistent hard work, and refusal to yield under pressure for his ultimate success. Poonawalla formally expressed gratitude to the production team, Amazon MX Player, and Banijay Asia, adding that the relationships and memories formed during the competition would remain enduring.

## Inside the Grand Finale Eliminations
The grand finale opened with celebratory stage routines featuring all six finalists. Show host Virender Sehwag subsequently introduced surprise elements and specialized challenges to narrow the roster down to the top five. Niharika Tiwari became the first of the finalists to be eliminated after receiving deciding votes from Swara Bhasker, Shehzad Poonawalla, Gautam Gulati, and Karan Patel.

Tension escalated rapidly as the Tower lights shifted red, signaling the vote-based elimination of Karan Patel and Swara Bhasker. That set the stage for a three-way final face-off between Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, Gautam Gulati, and Shehzad Poonawalla. As the tallies were finalized, Gulati locked in third place, Choudhary claimed the runner-up title, and Poonawalla lifted the Season 2 championship trophy.

## What this means for you
The conclusion of Rise & Fall Season 2 and the subsequent prize money pledge create both philanthropic and viewer-oriented impacts.

- **Flood Relief Impact:** Winner Shehzad Poonawalla has pledged his entire prize purse of Rs 35 lakh toward flood relief efforts in Bihar and Assam. These funds are set to support rehabilitation programs and emergency aid for affected families in those regions.
- **Reality TV Viewers:** Audiences following the six-week broadcast can now access the complete finale and entire season catalog on Amazon MX Player. Following the season finale, attention shifts to upcoming assignments and future media projects of the top finalists.
- **Perception of Voting Integrity:** Public claims challenging the validity of the final tallies have renewed debate regarding transparency in reality television voting systems. Viewers are increasingly engaging in scrutiny over auditing standards and audience-polling authenticity in televised competitions.
- **Social Media Discourse:** The intersection of political figures and entertainment celebrities has sparked active conversations across digital platforms. Fans and followers continue to analyze contestant strategies and express support or critique regarding the season outcome.

## Why this happened
The final outcome and ensuing controversy were driven by in-game voting mechanics, elimination dynamics, and external political friction.

- **Finale Elimination Dynamics:** The final ranking emerged through a combination of internal tasks and progressive voting rounds overseen by host Virender Sehwag. Sequential eliminations of Niharika Tiwari, Karan Patel, and Swara Bhasker narrowed the field until Poonawalla secured the decisive margin over Choudhary and Gulati.
- **Tej Pratap Yadav’s Public Objection:** Having been eliminated earlier in the season, Yadav maintained that Gautam Gulati commanded the broadest public support base. Disappointed by Gulati's third-place finish, he openly challenged the legitimacy of the outcome on social media.
- **Intersecting Political Backgrounds:** Given Shehzad Poonawalla’s known political affiliations and Tej Pratap Yadav’s political career, the contest’s conclusion swiftly assumed a partisan dimension. This dynamic transformed an entertainment competition result into a broader debate regarding impartiality and favor.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who won Rise & Fall Season 2?
Shehzad Poonawalla won the championship title of Rise & Fall Season 2.

### 2. Who were the runners-up of the season?
Priyanka Chahar Choudhary finished as the first runner-up, while Gautam Gulati secured the second runner-up position.

### 3. What was the prize money and how will it be used?
The winner received Rs 35 lakh, which Shehzad Poonawalla announced will be donated to flood relief efforts in Bihar and Assam.

### 4. What allegations did Tej Pratap Yadav make?
Tej Pratap Yadav alleged that the voting was rigged and claimed Gautam Gulati was unfairly denied the trophy in favor of a politically preferred contestant.

### 5. Who hosted Rise & Fall Season 2?
Former cricketer Virender Sehwag served as the host for the reality show's grand finale.

### 6. Which contestants were eliminated just before the top three?
Niharika Tiwari, Karan Patel, and Swara Bhasker were eliminated in the initial stages of the grand finale.

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