Swara Bhasker hits back at Rise and Fall 2 contestant Shehzad Poonawalla. (Photo: MX Player)Actress Swara Bhasker has joined Virendra Sehwag-hosted show Rise and Fall 2 as a contestant. While the actress makes her captive reality show debut, her rivalry with fellow contestant Shehzad Poonawalla has already been widely discussed on social media. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Swara shared her views about Shehzad. She called him a troll and said he is on the show just because of her. Swara even commented on Salman Khan’s recent stance against trolling on Bigg Boss 20.Swara Bhasker on participating in Rise and Fall 2For Swara, joining Rise and Fall 2 on September 26 was a rather difficult decision. As a mother of a three-year-old daughter, Swara had to leave her child behind on her birthday to participate in the show. Sharing how it was difficult to make this decision and stay away from Raabia for six weeks, Swara said, “My headspace is absolutely wrecked. I’ve really had to convince and struggle with myself. In these three years, there have been maybe three days when I’ve been without her overnight. I really had to negotiate with myself before accepting the show. I took it up as a challenge and thought that now she’s three, so maybe she and I can start separating a little, and I should start slowly getting back to work. I did Pati Patni Panga last year, and I’ve come up with this little bit of a hack: if every year I do one reality show, then it gives me flexibility for the rest of the year to have a very easy schedule that I can be around Rabu a lot.”Also Read: Rise and Fall 2 confirmed contestants list: Gautam Gulati, Swara Bhasker join Sehwag’s show View this post on Instagram A post shared by Swara Bhasker (@reallyswara) Swara further added, “I don’t want to miss any part of her childhood. I can get back to work, but I will never have her childhood years back.”After the Colors TV show Pati, Patni, Aur Panga, one would have imagined Swara Bhasker to join Bigg Boss 20. Explaining what made her reject that show and take on Amazon Prime Video’s Rise and Fall 2, Swara shared, “I was not ready for that commitment with Bigg Boss 20. Three months is just too long; six weeks are already long enough. So three months seemed just impossible for me. I had not seen Rise and Fall when they pitched it to us. Later, when I started watching it, I found it interesting. There are no fights over food or kitchen politics here. There is a kind of goal that is a larger narrative. There is this little game about the workers in the basement and the rulers in the penthouse. So that kind of appealed to my leftism.”Swara Bhasker on Shehzad PoonawallaEver since Swara Bhasker and Shehzad Poonawalla’s names were announced as contestants on the show, fans have been waiting for the two to clash. When we asked Swara how she looked at being pitted against Shehzad even before the show, she said, “I have just discovered him, actually. And he has been pitching himself like that. For me, he’s a troll. And maybe now an elevated troll. I don’t really see what his other credentials are. And it seems to me that once I agreed to do the show, they needed a rivalry. That’s how they found him.”Also Read | Virender Sehwag replaces Ashneer Grover as host of Rise and Fall 2: ‘No easy wins’She further added, “So he should say thank you to me. Sounds like he’s in this show because of me. And he’s milking it; he’s only doing interviews, talking about me like he’s obsessed. He’s made three or four videos and shared tweets. I have many trolls, and he is one of them.”Swara Bhasker comments on Salman Khan’s take on trolling and toxic media cultureRecently, Salman Khan took a strong stand against trolling. The comments came days after Katrina Kaif was trolled for her post-pregnancy weight gain. Salman also called out the toxic paparazzi culture. Swara lauded Salman’s actions and said, “I’m glad Salman Khan said it. One can think whatever they think of Salman sir. But he is quite authentic when he decides to be. He will say what he feels in a very unfiltered manner. I’m glad that these were his views. And I’m really glad that he took a stand for Katrina and the kind of absolutely shameful body shaming she’s been through. That was it. It was really good.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Swara Bhasker (@reallyswara) She further said, “When the biggest of stars take a stand, things that are getting normalised, people start questioning that because they have that level of influence and that level of platforming. So I’m so glad to see that he used his platform for something so right. Even the whole paparazzi culture needs to be reviewed everywhere in the world. There is something extremely toxic about it. And I know that this kind of voracious sort of pleasure is an inherent trait in human beings. It’s like almost an inherent instinct. Those don’t need to be encouraged. Those are the things that we should educate ourselves and rise above.”Story continues below this adRise and Fall 2 streams on Amazon Prime Video every Monday to Sunday at noon.Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector. Experience & Career Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media: The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments. Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media. Expertise & Focus Areas Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include: Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles. OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres. Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends. Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community. Authoritativeness & Trust With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... 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