Mohit Singh
From Week 1 fan favourite to the most unpopular contestant on a Reddit poll — here is the complete data trail showing how Rajat Dalal’s public standing changed inside The 50.
Mumbai: The 50 Voting data and fan polling results circulating across social media and dedicated viewer communities paint a picture of a steady decline in Rajat Dalal’s popularity that accelerated from the very first episode of the show and culminated in one of the season’s most unexpected outcomes his elimination in fifth place during the semi-final task on February 19, 2026, just before the grand finale puzzle round.
A Week 1 Reddit popularity poll published on the dedicated r/The50IN subreddit placed Rajat Dalal at the top of the “Least Faves” list with 74 votes more than any other contestant in that category while he received zero votes in the “Pick for the Winner” category, in which Digvijay Singh Rathee led with 60.2 percent of the vote share.
This polling data, gathered from fans who actively engaged with the show’s dedicated community, provides the earliest documented snapshot of how Rajat Dalal’s physical confrontation with Digvijay Rathee in the premiere episode directly fractured his popularity among a section of the viewing audience.
Week 1 Poll: The Numbers
The Reddit community poll from Week 1 of The 50 season, shared publicly on r/The50IN, produced the following headline figures:
Top 5 Favourite Contestants (Week 1):
- Digvijay Singh Rathee — 85 votes
- Prince Narula — 18 votes
- Nehal Chudasama / Siwet Tomar — 10 votes each
- Chahat Pandey / Dino James — 9 votes each
- Faisal Shaikh (Mr. Faisu) — 8 votes
Top 5 Least Favourite Contestants (Week 1):
- Rajat Dalal — 74 votes
- Prince Narula — 49 votes
- Lovekesh Kataria — 46 votes
- Lakshay Kaushik — 43 votes
- Siwet Tomar — 39 votes
Winner Predictions (Week 1):
- Digvijay Singh Rathee — 60.2%
- Prince Narula — 12.8%
- Siwet Tomar — 4.5%
- Nehal Chudasama — 3.8%
- Rajat Dalal — 0%
What Started the Decline
The Week 1 polling figures directly correlate with Rajat Dalal’s now-documented physical altercation in the opening episode of The 50, in which he slapped Digvijay Rathee during a heated task after Digvijay questioned his behaviour on the show. The clip was released as a promo before the premiere broadcast and went viral within hours, generating a wave of online criticism that labelled Dalal a “gunda” and called for his removal from the competition. News24 confirmed that the viral video “drew massive backlash for Rajat, with fans wanting him removed from the show,” establishing a negative public narrative around him from day one of The 50’s broadcast run.
The 50 Voting: Prize Money Consequence
The 50 Voting dynamic on the show is not merely a popularity contest — it carries a direct financial consequence, as the format of The 50 stipulates that the ₹50 lakh prize goes not to the winning contestant but to the fan who registered on JioHotstar and selected that contestant from the start of the competition. This structure means that a dip in Rajat Dalal’s voting support base directly reduced the number of registered JioHotstar fans whose selections were tied to his survival in the game. Know who this most affects: fans who registered for Rajat in the first week and have seen him eliminated in fifth place now lose all prospect of the prize money regardless of who wins the March 22 finale broadcast.
The Slap: First Episode Damage
Insiders in the entertainment media field consistently identify the first-episode slap incident as the single moment that most damaged Rajat Dalal’s public standing before the show’s formal premiere even aired. The altercation was significant enough to trigger the show’s first prize money deduction from the ₹50 lakh pool, with The Lion imposing a financial penalty on the house in response to the physical violence. This made Rajat the first contestant in The 50’s history to directly cost every registered fan a portion of their potential prize money through a single act of aggression.
Social Media Split
Sources say Rajat Dalal’s social media base remained split throughout the competition — with a loyal core of fitness and Bigg Boss 18 fans defending him on Instagram and YouTube while the broader, newer The 50 audience consistently rated him as the most negatively perceived contestant in community-run polls. His Instagram following and existing fanbase provided him with enough JioHotstar voting support to survive multiple early elimination rounds, but the structural erosion of casual or neutral viewer support limited his ability to expand beyond his existing base. Reports suggest that by the time the semi-final task arrived on February 19, the voting mathematics had shifted decisively against him in favour of contestants with wider, cross-demographic appeal.
Archana’s Public Call-Out
Episode 21, broadcast on February 21, 2026, added another documented data point to the picture of Rajat Dalal’s declining internal standing inside the palace. Archana Gautam publicly confronted Rajat during the episode, asserting that if he was “a real man,” he should target the boys rather than the girls, and directly accused him of frequently changing sides. Digvijay Rathee was similarly called out by Archana in the same confrontation, with her labelling him as someone who shifted loyalties repeatedly.
Also Read: The 50 Elimination Today: Karan Patel and 4 Major Stars Voted Out in Midnight Massacre
Fifth Place: A Confirmed Exit
Multiple independent entertainment sources including Times of India, India Forums, News18, OneinIndia, and Free Press Journal all confirmed by February 20, 2026, that Rajat Dalal was eliminated in fifth place during the semi-final task of The 50 grand finale shoot on February 19 — before the four-contestant puzzle round that determined the winner. His exit in fifth place was characterised by multiple entertainment reporters as the most surprising result of the finale sequence, given that he had been widely expected by his own fanbase to reach the final two. The exact task in which he was eliminated during the semi-final round has not been publicly confirmed in detail by production.
Fan Reaction to Fifth Place
Insiders suggest Rajat Dalal’s core fanbase reacted with visible frustration to the fifth-place exit, with many attributing it to strategic targeting by rival alliances rather than any failure in task performance. A YouTube video published on February 19, 2026, titled “Rajat Dalal or Prince Narula Ne Chali Chaal” drew significant comment section debate about whether Prince Narula’s strategic moves in the final days contributed to Rajat’s departure from the competition. Whether Rajat himself will address the exit or the Season 1 fan voting data on his own social media platforms after the March 22 broadcast has not been publicly disclosed.
The Broader Pattern
Rajat Dalal’s trajectory on The 50 follows a pattern observed with physically aggressive contestants on Indian reality shows, where a strong initial fanbase gradually contracts when viewers — particularly those new to the contestant form their primary impression from confrontational footage rather than task performance. His pre-show profile as a powerlifting champion and social media fitness personality had made him one of the most anticipated contestants entering The 50 on February 1, 2026. Yet the Week 1 Reddit polling, the viral slap incident, the prize money deduction, and the confirmed fifth-place finish collectively form a documented arc from pre-show favourite to semi-final exit.
Also Read: I Signed For You! Archana Gautam’s Viral Confession to Mr. Faisu Leaves Fans in Tears
Rajat Dalal entered The 50 as one of its most anticipated contestants and exited as the most surprising fifth-place semi-final casualty — with a Week 1 poll placing him at the top of the “least favourite” list before most fans had even finished watching the premiere.
Do you think Rajat Dalal’s physical aggression in Episode 1 permanently damaged his chances of winning The 50, or did alliance politics in the final days actually cost him the trophy? Tell us in the comments.