Political commentator Shehzad Poonawalla has a message for politician Tej Pratap Yadav, who questioned his Rise and Fall victory and claimed that actor Gautam Gulati deserved to win instead. The reality show winner also has a rather candid response to trolls who believe he entered the show to earn money and pay his rent.In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Shehzad dismissed the allegations of 'vote chori', arguing that the show's voting process was transparent and there was little scope for manipulation.

He also drew an interesting parallel with electoral politics, saying that questioning the system after losing has become a familiar excuse.The vote-chori row"When you lose an election, you start saying EVM is wrong. When you lose a show, you say voting is rigged.

This loser attitude doesn't look good. The last three contestants voted for each other, so it was pretty transparent," he said.Shehzad also took a potshot at Tej Pratap's family, accusing them of corruption.

He said that rather than lecturing him, they should be happy that he was donating a part of his prize money towards flood relief in Bihar. The equation with Tej Pratap YadavFor someone who shared a seemingly warm equation with Tej Pratap inside the Rise and Fall tower, the fallout is rather interesting.

Was the brotherhood all part of the reality television package?Shehzad insisted that his friendships were genuine, but he wasn't particularly bothered if some of them didn't survive outside the show. "I genuinely wanted to form bonds with most people. But if somebody spurns my offer, then I can't help it.

As you saw in the show, all my enemies ended up helping me. So if somebody now chooses to be my enemy, he'll only help me in life," he said.

And speaking of earning money, Shehzad had a particularly straightforward response to trolls who suggested that his primary motivation for doing the show was to pay his rent. He wasn't embarrassed about it.

In fact, he believed there's nothing particularly amusing about someone wanting to earn an honest living.The politician said, "I have no godfather in the political industry or in the film industry or in the entertainment industry. I know what it takes to do a nine-to-nine job and put bread on my plate.

Most of these people sitting behind the keyboard don't. They should realise that for somebody like me, it is difficult.

I have not come from a family of two chief ministers who stole public wealth and then made my place in this show. So, yeah, I have to struggle to pay my rent.

And I earn money the honest way. I don't scam people."Clearly, the reality show wasn't just another television outing for Shehzad.

He said he had received other offers but was drawn to Rise and Fall because it offered something beyond the usual reality TV template of arguments, confrontations and endless drama. He also admitted that he initially felt like an outsider among contestants who were already familiar faces in the reality television and entertainment space.

However, the experience eventually became a reflection of his own life.Donating prize moneyAway from the show's controversies, Shehzad also spoke about his decision to donate his prize money towards flood relief in Bihar and Assam, as well as drought relief efforts in Maharashtra. He said being in the public domain also came with a responsibility to give back. "Whatever we do, we do it because the public supports us.

And if we have an opportunity to help the public back, that should be the first dharma or the first duty," he said.As for his equation with Swara Bhasker, Shehzad said things would remain cordial as long as they stayed away from contentious subjects. The two had apparently agreed to steer clear of certain issues while inside the tower, but he made it clear that he wouldn't hold back if topics such as the Army, Hindutva or Sanatan came up.And is reality television something he would like to explore again?

Absolutely, provided the format offers the same mix of strategy, tasks and intellectual engagement. After all, having tasted victory once, Shehzad isn't ruling out another stint. "I'd love to do something that is as intellectually stimulating as Rise and Fall," he signed off.- Ends