By Anil Merani: Asim Riaz, a former Bigg Boss 13 contestant, has indeed stirred controversy with his reported expulsion from the reality show Battleground, following a heated altercation with co-judges Rubina Dilaik and Abhishek Malhan. The altercation reportedly involved heated verbal exchanges and physical aggression. In a cryptic social media post on April 19, 2025, Riaz displayed a middle finger and labeled the situation as “SCRIPTED,” suggesting he believes his exit was orchestrated by the show’s producers for dramatic effect or publicity.
This aligns with sentiments from some fans on X, who claim producers instructed Malhan to provoke Riaz to generate content and boost the show’s visibility, with one user stating, “They turned a Reality Show into a ‘SCRIPTED’ drama to gain attention, headlines & TRP in his name!!”.
Riaz’s history of conflicts on reality shows supports the notion that he frequently engages in disputes with co-contestants. He was previously ousted from Khatron Ke Khiladi 14 in 2024 after clashing with host Rohit Shetty and other participants, where he challenged the makers over a stunt’s feasibility and boasted about his wealth, calling others “losers”.
On Battleground, his altercation with Malhan escalated into a physical confrontation, and he allegedly insulted Dilaik, leading to the shoot being halted on April 17, 2025. Earlier incidents on the show include Riaz yelling at Dilaik, dismissing her input by saying, “This is not a serial,” prompting intervention from judge Shikhar Dhawan, and a physical clash with co-contestant Rajat Dalal during a promotional event, which some netizens also suspected was scripted for hype.
While Riaz’s claim of a scripted expulsion lacks official confirmation, it reflects his pattern of attributing conflicts to external manipulation, as seen in his Khatron Ke Khiladi exit where he similarly felt targeted. His outspoken persona and tendency to engage in fiery exchanges—evident in confrontations with Malhan, Dilaik, Dalal, and others—have fueled his reputation for getting into scraps, often overshadowing his contributions as a judge or team leader on Battleground. However, no definitive evidence confirms his expulsion was staged, and responses from Dilaik (“All is well”) and Malhan’s team (claiming ignorance) offer little clarity. Discussions are reportedly underway between Riaz’s team and producers, but no official statement has been released.