The race for the Ultimate Ruler crown is heating up on ‘Rise and Fall’ Season 2, with Swara Bhasker and Niharika Tiwari emerging as the final contenders after a series of power plays, unexpected eliminations and strained friendships. The latest developments also put the Workers in a position to fight for a chance to move from the Basement to the Penthouse.

The drama intensifies when Rishabh Jaiswal receives the power to swap a contender in the Ultimate Ruler race. He replaces Niharika with Irina Rudakova, prompting Priyanka Chahar Choudhary to try to convince him to reconsider his decision. However, the next move shifts the balance of power as the Workers back Swara and give her the opportunity to eliminate a Ruler from the race. Swara chooses to send Rishabh out, leaving him questioning her decision.

Meanwhile, Manish Kashyap attempts to push for a takhta palat, appealing to the Rulers to give the Workers a fair chance. His pitch fails to gain support, and the Lift calls him out for going off track. With his appeal failing to convince even his own team, Manish finds himself caught between the power struggle in the Penthouse and growing discontent in the Basement.

The tensions continue during the Navratri celebrations, where garlands become a reflection of the contestants’ alliances. Gautam Gulati backs Irina, Jashwanth Bopanna chooses Rishabh, and Shehzad Poonawalla is left without a garland until Swara steps in.

However, the festive atmosphere does little to ease the growing tensions. Shehzad confronts Gautam over calling him a traitor. Gautam attempts to dismiss the remark as a joke, but the exchange exposes deeper issues in their friendship. Gautam opens up about feeling isolated and hurt by people he once considered close, raising questions about the state of his relationships inside the Tower.

Irina is also left frustrated after losing her place in the Ultimate Ruler race. She confronts Shehzad, holding him responsible for her situation. The disagreement eventually ends with an apology, although the tensions between the contestants remain.

The race takes another turn when Niharika uses the final power card to replace Irina with herself, returning to the competition and setting up a direct showdown with Swara for the Ultimate Ruler title. With Shehzad’s reign coming to an end, the competition enters a crucial phase.

Away from the power struggle, Gautam and Sara Gurpal put their differences aside. In a separate conversation with the Workers, Gautam discusses Shehzad’s behaviour, which he feels borders on emotional blackmail. Later, Gautam and Sonam Malik break into a dance, offering a brief moment of relief amid the continuing confrontations.

The focus now shifts to the Red Room, where Swara and Niharika will compete for the Ultimate Ruler crown. The challenge also carries an additional reward: the winning Worker supporting the successful contender will earn a direct ticket to the Penthouse.

Manish Kashyap and Sara Gurpal emerge as the two Workers competing for the opportunity to move upstairs, as nominated contestants and those ruled ineligible are excluded from the race. Swara chooses Manish, while Niharika backs Sara, with both contestants assembling teams for the challenge.

Niharika brings in Kaira Anu, Jashwanth Bopanna and Raj Grover, while Swara selects Kajal Raghwani, Gautam Gulati and Sonam Malik. Priyanka Chahar Choudhary takes on the role of scorekeeper as both teams prepare for a contest that could change the Tower’s power structure.

With the Ultimate Ruler crown and a chance to enter the Penthouse at stake, the upcoming challenge will determine whether Swara and Manish emerge victorious or Niharika and Sara manage to turn the tables.

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