Arjun Bijlani, the recent winner of ‘Rise and Fall Season 1,’ shared his reflections on the show, touching upon moments of empathy, misunderstandings, and Dhanashree Verma’s decision to openly discuss her personal life. He also commented on statements made by fellow contestant Arbaaz Patel.
During the program, Dhanashree Verma had shared details about her ex-husband, cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, accusing him of infidelity early in their marriage. While this led to speculation that she was leveraging her personal experiences for the game, Bijlani was observed offering her support. He recounted an instance where a simple act of concern was misconstrued. “She was crying and sharing some things about her past life. I was listening and voiced my opinion calmly because it was just a normal conversation,” Bijlani explained. “I didn’t do anything for the game. For me, it was a moment of empathy. She spoke about her personal life out in the open — I would have never done that.”
Despite the varied reactions to his actions, Bijlani emphasized the purity of his intentions. “Sometimes people forget that even in a competitive environment, we’re still human. Showing care shouldn’t be seen as weakness,” he stated. He further added his thoughts on the societal perception of personal relationships, noting, “She said quite a few things — about parties and more. I want to understand, why is it such a taboo for guys to hang out and party? Having said that, even if she was lying or doing all that for the game, how would I know? I was just being considerate.”
Addressing an incident where Arbaaz Patel made comments about Dhanashree Verma’s interactions with others, Bijlani clarified his perspective. “When I got to know what all he had said, I told him, ‘She’s not your girlfriend or someone important to you.’ Arbaaz doesn’t get to make such comments. But when I saw that Dhanashree herself wasn’t reacting, who am I to interfere?” he questioned.
Bijlani concluded by stating that while he was aware of certain details, he chose not to intervene. “As a friend, I wanted to clarify misunderstandings but also respected their wish to keep certain things private. I made sure nobody told that particular part to others. That was the way they wanted to play the game, and I never interfered because it wasn’t my zone.”