Revisiting his early elimination from the Circle of Shaq (Round Table), where an alliance rallied by Malhan saw Faruqui banished as an Innocent in the opening round, Munawar claimed that Abhishek’s aggression stemmed from genuine fear of his game.
“He played this game on the front foot and was loud about it, but he was scared of me, which I liked!” Faruqui remarked during the reunion.
The Reunion Clash: Abhishek Hits Back
Malhan fired back immediately, dismissing Faruqui’s assertion and accusing him of blurring the lines between game strategy and personal animosity:
Malhan’s Counter: Refusing to back down, Abhishek argued that a fearful player wouldn't actively orchestrate such a decisive exit:
“If I was scared, I wouldn't have taken you out in tears. I am not scared of you. You continue crying even now... Now stop all this! It is a game and nothing personal. He became personal! He put hate stories against me.”
The Post-Eviction Social Media Sparring: The verbal clash referenced their heated exchange from August. After leaving the show, Munawar had taken subtle digs online stating that anyone wanting to rely on group work should "go to Alliance next year," to which Malhan had responded with mockery on Instagram (“Kaun ro raha hai bhai... Bolne do, takleef hua hai bechare ko”).
Karan Johar on Fan-Army Crossfire: "I Thought They Were Political Parties"
Host Karan Johar brought comedic relief to the face-off by recounting how the fanatical online battle between Munawar Ki Janta (MKJ) and Abhishek's Panda Gang targeted his social media handles following Faruqui’s exit:
The Fandom Overdrive: Johar admitted he was baffled by the sudden barrage of abusive comments and trolling accusing him of bias.
Karan's Confession: “I don't know about both of you, but why were your fans attacking me? I literally had to go live on Instagram to say, ‘Bhaiya, I am just the host of the show. I didn't decide Harman or Krystle would be Traitors!’ Suddenly Panda Gang, MKJ... I thought these two are political parties coming after me! I thought, do I have to leave the country?”
The confession broke the ice on stage, prompting Faruqui and Malhan to share a hug and apologize to Johar for the digital crossfire created by their fanbases.\
Trade Verdict:
Casting dominant reality stars like Munawar Faruqui and Abhishek Malhan was a clear algorithmic gambit for Prime Video, but their early collision proved that when two high-visibility alphas enter a game of social deduction, survival hinges on herd mechanics rather than individual fanbase clout. The reunion face-off delivered the closure fans had been awaiting since the contentious August premiere.
