Arjun Bijlani, who emerged as the winner of Rise and Fall Season 1, has finally opened up about the controversy involving Dhanashree Verma’s personal revelations on the reality show. During one of the emotional moments in the series, Dhanashree accused her ex-husband, cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, of cheating on her during the early months of their marriage. While her statements stirred debates both inside and outside the show, Arjun was seen offering her support, a gesture that some viewers perceived as part of his strategy.
Reflecting on the incident, Arjun clarified that his actions were purely out of empathy. “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. I didn’t do anything for the game. For me, it was a moment of empathy,” he shared. He added that he wouldn’t have spoken so openly about his own personal life, unlike Dhanashree, who chose to express her pain on camera.
Arjun further addressed how a simple act of concern was blown out of proportion. According to him, in a competitive setup, humanity often gets overlooked. “Sometimes people forget that even in a competitive environment, we’re still human. Showing care shouldn’t be seen as weakness,” he explained.
The actor also reacted to Dhanashree’s remarks about social interactions and parties, questioning why such behaviour was judged differently for men and women.
Arjun also clarified his stance on another tense moment involving Dhanashree and fellow contestant Arbaaz Patel. During the show, Arbaaz made comments about how Dhanashree “hugged everyone,” which didn’t sit well with viewers. “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,” Arjun explained. However, he decided not to interfere further as Dhanashree herself chose not to react.
Summing up his thoughts, Arjun shared that he preferred maintaining boundaries despite knowing certain details. “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,” he concluded.
