Reality star Soundous Moufakir has defended Rakhi Sawant's much-debated on-screen persona, arguing that what critics dismiss as drama is, in fact, a carefully crafted performance — and one that demands genuine talent to sustain. Moufakir made the remarks following her elimination from The Traitors 2, alongside contestants Karan Singh, Harman Singha, and Munawar Faruqui.

Soundous Defends Rakhi Sawant

'When you go on a reality show, even when you make drama, like how people diss Rakhi Sawant for her drama, what they don't realise is that it is a performance,' Moufakir said after leaving the show. 'And you need to be an icon to pull out that performance in a reality show. So people should respect reality shows equally as other movies.'

The remarks amount to a pointed reframing of how audiences and critics have long perceived Sawant — not as someone who loses control, but as a performer who understands exactly what the genre demands.

Reality Shows Have Already Changed, She Says

Moufakir also spoke to the broader evolution of the reality television format in India. 'The actors, who were saying that they won't do reality shows no matter what, are begging to be a part of reality shows,' she observed. She added that the industry has reached a turning point: 'People are finally, finally accepting that reality shows are actually a full-time performance and a part of the entertainment industry.'

This comes amid a visible shift in the Indian entertainment landscape, where A-list film and OTT talent increasingly feature on unscripted formats — a trend that would have been considered unlikely even five years ago.

Soundous on Her Early Elimination

Moufakir was candid about the emotional toll of an early exit. 'I think that is very disheartening to be eliminated at an early stage of the show. But the format is as such,' she said. 'At least that takes a little bit of the baggage of not blaming yourself. I think I did my best.'

Her exit, alongside three other contestants, came before the competition had reached its midpoint — a result shaped as much by the show's format of trust and deception as by individual strategy.

About The Traitors 2

The Traitors 2 features 21 contestants drawn from entertainment, television, social media, food, and other backgrounds. The cast includes Munawar Faruqui, Mallika Sherawat, Shweta Tiwari, Rhea Chakraborty, Abhishek Malhan, Shalini Passi, and Ranveer Brar, among others. Built around trust, deception, and strategic alliances, the format requires contestants to identify hidden Traitors while protecting themselves from elimination.

The new season has already drawn considerable attention through dramatic confrontations, surprise eliminations, and shifting alliances — and with several high-profile names still in the game, the battle of strategy and betrayal is far from over.