‘Dhamaal, Bawaal, Kamaal’: Tej Pratap Yadav, Shehzad Poonawalla Join Hands for Reality Show

New Delhi: Former Bihar minister Tej Pratap Yadav and former BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla are set to share the reality-show stage in Rise & Fall Season 2, creating an unexpected pairing that has already generated attention ahead of the show's premiere.

The two appeared together in a social media video in which Poonawalla described their combination as “when Patna meets Pune”, while Tej Pratap responded with “when Mumbai meets Bihar.” The duo then summed up their equation with a catchy phrase: “Dhamaal, bawaal and eventually kamaal.”

Tej Pratap and Shehzad's reality-show collaboration

The collaboration is being presented as part of the reality-show game rather than a political alliance. Both Tej Pratap and Poonawalla are contestants in the second season of Rise & Fall, which premieres on September 26, 2026.

The season is hosted by former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag and features 15 contestants divided into two groups — Rulers and Workers. The Rulers stay in a penthouse while the Workers live in a basement, with contestants' positions capable of changing as the competition progresses.

What did Shehzad Poonawalla say?

Poonawalla said that the two may face challenges and disagreements during the competition but expected their pairing to produce an entertaining equation.

He also described their shared connection to Sanatan traditions while making it clear that, once inside the game, each contestant would have to play according to their own personality and strategy.

In the promotional interaction, Tej Pratap also suggested a playful religious symbolism for their roles, with himself taking the role of Ram and Poonawalla taking the role of Bajrang Bali.

From politics to reality television

The pairing comes at a time when both contestants have undergone significant changes in their political careers.

Tej Pratap was expelled from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for six years in May 2025 and subsequently formed the Janshakti Janata Dal. He also contested the 2025 Bihar Assembly election from Mahua and finished third, according to India Today.

Poonawalla, meanwhile, resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in August 2026, citing personal and financial circumstances while saying that he continued to support the party's ideology and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

For Tej Pratap, Rise & Fall is not his first reality-show appearance. He previously appeared on the Bhojpuri reality show Bhojpuri Bawaal earlier in 2026.

Rise & Fall Season 2: Who else is participating?

The 15-member cast includes several television, entertainment, social-media and political personalities. Among the confirmed contestants are Swara Bhasker, Gautam Gulati, Karan Patel, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, Kajal Raghwani, Sara Gurpal, Niharika Tiwari, Kaira Anu, Siwet Tomar, Manish Kashyap, Raj Grover, Irina Rudakova and Anish Bhagat, along with Tej Pratap Yadav and Shehzad Poonawalla.

The second season begins streaming on September 26, 2026, with Prime Video and MX Player carrying the show.