MUMBAI — The drama on the reality show Rise & Fall has intensified with a verbal spat between contestants Aahana Kumra and Dhanashree Verma. The conflict arose after Verma, a choreographer who recently divorced cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, spoke about her personal life and the support she’s received from the industry.
The argument began when the Rulers and Workers—the show’s two teams—were discussing power dynamics. When Aahana suggested that the Workers were deferring to senior actor Arjun Bijlani, Dhanashree disagreed, saying that talent, not experience, should be the deciding factor. She then brought up her own struggles, stating, “I am standing here, the whole world is against me, but I am standing here and getting work done today. I love the industry because people are still giving me work. I am getting movie offers one after another, not because of what has happened, but because I have talent.”
While Dhanashree’s comments were not directly addressed at the time, Aahana later expressed her frustration to fellow contestants Aditya Narayan and Nayandeep Rakshit. “Why does Dhanashree keep bringing up her divorce every two minutes?” Aahana said. “She needs to stop. We are applauding her, but this, ‘I am divorced, and all of this is happening with me,’—come on, stop the sob story. You are here to play the game, don’t play the victim card.”
This isn’t the first time Dhanashree has spoken about her divorce on the show. She had previously told other contestants that despite her separation, she has maintained respect for Chahal and has chosen to let her work speak for itself rather than engaging in negative PR.
Dhanashree Verma and Yuzvendra Chahal, who met during the COVID-19 pandemic and married in December 2020, were granted a mutual consent divorce in March this year after a separation in June 2022.
Rise & Fall, which premiered on Amazon MX Player on September 6, is hosted by Ashneer Grover. The show divides fifteen celebrity contestants into two groups: the “Rulers,” who live in luxury, and the “Workers,” who must complete tasks to improve their position. Aahana Kumra and Dhanashree Verma are both part of the Rulers team.