Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss 19 is still drawing huge viewers, but its popularity has slowed down in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Ashneer Grover’s Rise and Fall has become a surprise hit, grabbing attention and shaking up the ratings. Many fans are comparing it to Bigg Boss 18, already calling it a kind of “revenge” for Grover after his controversial appearance on the show.
Rise And Fall Gains Attention With Its Debut
Rise and Fall started strong, with around 3.8 million viewers in its first week. While the show is similar in concept to Bigg Boss 19, it immediately attracted viewers because of its famous celebrity lineup. Contestants like Dhanashree Verma, Arjun Bijlani, Kiku Sharda, Pawan Singh and Arbaz Patel have all been in the headlines recently. This only added to the show’s buzz. Other participants, including Aditya Narayan and Anaya Bangar, who are known for their dramatic personalities, giving audiences plenty of entertainment.
Ashneer Grover’s fame from Shark Tank India also adds to the show’s appeal. His previous appearances on shows like TVF’s The Pitchers have made him well-known. The growing attention and fan following are seen as a comeback for Grover after his mixed experience on Bigg Boss 18.
Ashneer Grover’s Bigg Boss 18 Humiliation
On Bigg Boss 18, Grover felt publicly insulted when Salman Khan questioned him about past comments and said he didn’t know him personally. This happened in a November 2024 “Weekend Ka Vaar” episode and was linked to Grover’s 2023 podcast remarks. In that podcast, Grover said he had negotiated Salman’s BharatPe endorsement fee and mentioned that Salman’s team refused a photo with him, along with giving an incorrect fee figure.
Salman corrected Grover, saying negotiations were with his team, not him directly. He also warned Grover against exaggerating connections and delivered a personal jab – “Mujhe toh aapka naam bhi nahi pata tha (I didn’t even know your name).” Grover mostly stayed quiet and apologised on the show, but he felt humiliated by the exchange.
After the episode, Grover spoke publicly about the incident. At an NIT Kurukshetra event, he asked, “Abey naam nahi jaanta toh bulaaya kyun tha?” (If you didn’t know my name, why did you invite me?). He accused Salman of creating drama for the show, saying, “Faltu ka panga leke apna competition khada kiya usne.”
He defended his role in the deal and said, “Main bhi kamino ki tarah hi company chalata tha, everything had to go through me.”
On social media and in interviews, he said the show exaggerated the situation for ratings. On his own reality show, Rise And Fall, Grover called the Bigg Boss drama “doglapan” (hypocrisy) and even joked about joining Bigg Boss if offered a higher salary than Salman.
