Entertainment
Virender Sehwag Steps Into Hosting Role for 'Rise and Fall' Season 2 on Prime Video
Former Indian cricket star Virender Sehwag is trading his bat and pads for a host's microphone, taking over as the new face of Prime Video India's reality series Rise and Fall for its second season. Sehwag, nicknamed the Sultan of Multan, replaces Ashnee Grover in what marks his first hosting role for a streaming series.
The announcement came via a newly released trailer, which runs one minute and 44 seconds. In it, Sehwag appears in a series of comedic roles, including Albert Einstein, a doctor, a teacher, and a karate practitioner with a yellow belt, before transitioning into a sharp suit against the backdrop of a skyscraper. In the trailer, he tells viewers, "In Rise and Fall, the game of up and down is going to be very twisted."
Sehwag retired from international cricket in 2015 following a celebrated career as one of India's most aggressive opening batsmen and a longtime vice-captain of the national team. His outspoken personality and sharp humor have made him a popular candidate for television hosting opportunities.
He joins a growing list of retired Indian cricketers who have moved into television. Former Test captain Rohit Sharma recently unveiled a new show, Family Full House, for Sony Entertainment Television, while players such as Ajay Jadeja and Shikhar Dhawan have also hosted programs. Sourav Ganguly currently hosts Bigg Boss Bangla, the Bengali version of Big Brother, which began its latest season on August 30.
Rise and Fall Season 2 was first announced in March after the debut season became a major success on Amazon's MX Player platform, which has since been integrated into Prime Video. The series is based on a format created by Studio Lambert for the UK's Channel 4, though that version was canceled after a single season due to weak ratings. In India, however, the show—produced by Banijay Asia—has performed strongly.
The format features 15 celebrities divided into two groups, the Rulers and the Workers, living in contrasting settings within the same high-rise building: a penthouse and a basement. The Rulers enjoy penthouse privileges, while the Workers experience harsher basement conditions. Through a series of challenges, Workers have the chance to swap places with Rulers, shifting the balance of power throughout the game.
Amogh Dusad, Director and Head of AVOD Content at Prime Video India, said the strong audience response to the first season encouraged the platform to continue the format. "Season 2 brings a fresh set of personalities into a format where power is always in motion, and every decision carries a consequence," he said. He added that Sehwag's "wit, spontaneity, and fearless personality" make him a strong fit as host.
Sehwag drew comparisons between the show and professional cricket. "Cricket has taught me one thing – no match is won before the final ball, and Rise and Fall Season 2 takes that unpredictability to another level," he said. "As a host, what excites me about this game is that there are no easy wins and no fixed positions... You have to know when to attack, when to defend, and, most importantly, when to read the game before it reads you."
Deepak Dhar, Founder and Group CEO of Banijay Asia, noted that the strong reception to the first season confirmed the appeal of the show's premise, which combines strategy, power dynamics, and human behavior in an unpredictable format.
No release date or contestant lineup has been announced yet. The series will stream free on Prime Video, as well as on the MX Player Android app, now rebranded as MX Player by Prime Video.