The power game on ‘Rise and Fall’ Season 2 has taken a new turn with Gautam Gulati emerging as the first Worker to Rise to the Penthouse, after impressing Ultimate Ruler Tej Pratap Yadav in a special audition.

With the Penthouse holding the power and the Basement continuing to be a space of struggle, the opportunity to change their fate became a major moment for three Workers. Tej Pratap Yadav opened the doors to an audition for the first Rise of the season, giving Gautam Gulati, Sara Gurpal and Niharika Tiwari a chance to prove why they deserved a place in the Penthouse.

In a press release, the makers said the audition, which initially appeared to be an entertaining task, soon turned into a serious battle for an opportunity to Rise. Each of the three Workers adopted a different approach to impress the Ultimate Ruler and make their case for moving upstairs.

Gautam took on the role of Tej’s personal fitness coach and put him through a workout, while Sara turned entertainer as she danced and sang for the Ultimate Ruler. Reacting to Sara’s performance, Tej said, “Thodha dekh karke main thodha atpata bhi lag raha tha aur sharam bhi aa rahi thi ki ‘yeh kya kar rahi hai?’ saamne camera bhi laga hai aur puri desh ki janta dekhegi ke netaji ke saath iss tarike ka vyawaar ho raha hai”.

Niharika, meanwhile, chose a different strategy, using her teekhi awaaz to roast the Rulers and leave the Penthouse in splits. With three Workers bringing three different approaches to the task, the audition quickly became a contest for Tej’s favour.

The opportunity was about more than entertainment for the Workers, who were also fighting to prove why they deserved to Rise while another contestant would have to Fall. After watching the performances and hearing their pitches, Tej finally made his decision, with Gautam emerging as the first Rise of the season.

As Niharika and Sara returned to the Basement, Gautam crossed over into the Penthouse, taking on a completely different position in the game. His victory, however, soon appeared to have another layer to it.

Back in the Basement, Anish Bhagat was visibly pleased to see Gautam leave, believing his departure would bring some positivity to the Tower. However, Anish also told Gautam that Tej and Shehzad Poonawalla had already wanted him in the Penthouse as part of a plan to get back at Raj Grover. The revelation raised questions over whether Gautam’s Rise was purely based on his performance or whether the Rulers had already been considering his place in their larger strategy.

For Sara, the outcome was disappointing. After returning to the Basement, she broke down and expressed that she too believed she had done enough to deserve the opportunity to Rise.

Meanwhile, Shehzad began making his move with Gautam in the Penthouse. He filled the new Ruler in on what had happened during the task and claimed that Karan and Priyanka had abused him while playing. He also gave Gautam his assessment of Priyanka, saying, “Priyanka is too crazy, she is psychotic actually”.

With Gautam now holding a place in the Penthouse, Shehzad’s conversation could potentially influence where the newest Ruler stands in the ongoing equations. Whether Gautam chooses to align with Shehzad, Priyanka or maintain his own position remains one of the questions emerging from his first day as a Ruler.

As Tej and Shehzad continued discussing who should be sent back to the Basement, the Tower also saw a quieter moment when Manish Kashyap and Kajal Raghwani spoke about Kajal’s past relationship. The personal conversation offered a brief break from the strategy, rivalry and survival game playing out around them.

The equations, however, quickly shifted again the following morning, when Gautam and Priyanka sat down to discuss their positions and relationships inside the Penthouse. With the newest Ruler now at the centre of the game, his next alliances could have a direct impact on the balance of power.

Gautam may have secured the first Rise of the season, but his move to the Penthouse has already created new questions around alliances, rivalries and strategy. As the Workers continue fighting for their place and the Rulers look to protect their power, every Rise could potentially change the dynamics inside the Tower.

Produced by Banijay Asia, ‘Rise and Fall Season 2’ is hosted by Virender Sehwag and streams free, exclusively on Prime Video, with fresh episodes every day at 12 noon. The show is available through MX Player by Prime Video on the MX Player Android app, as well as across mobile devices, Connected TVs, the Amazon shopping app, Prime Video and Fire TV.