Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 is once again facing backlash, this time over a molten wax elimination stunt that left contestants visibly struggling on screen. The reality show, hosted by Rohit Shetty, had already drawn criticism last week after a rubber pellet gun task injured several participants. Just days later, this new stunt has triggered a similar wave of reactions online, with viewers questioning how far the show is pushing its contestants in the name of adventure and fear-conquering challenges this season.

In the second week of the season, four contestants who received the ‘fear fanda’, Rubina Dilaik, Ruhaanika Dhawan, Harsh Gujral and Vishal Aditya Singh, were made to take part in a pain-endurance elimination task. Hot wax was poured directly onto their hands over a 10-minute window, with the contestant collecting the maximum amount of wax staying safe from elimination. Before the task began, all four appeared visibly nervous, and Ruhaanika started crying even before the stunt started. Rubina said, ‘All of us are scared; I am getting goosebumps. I have to use all my strength and patience here to endure this pain.’

As the wax flow was increased midway through the task, Rubina screamed, ‘It’s just killing. My soul has come out, sir,’ adding, ‘Now, it’s stinging, and those stings are unbearable. The wax on the layer is penetrating even deeper. The impact is killing.’ Ruhaanika ended up being the first to abort the task once the flow was increased, while Harsh Gujral went on to win the stunt and secured himself from elimination. Interestingly, fans online recalled that a similar wax-based stunt had featured on Khatron Ke Khiladi 10 as well, where actor Tejasswi Prakash was the only contestant among those selected who managed to complete the task and win it.

The stunt led to a strong reaction from viewers on social media. One comment on Colours TV’s YouTube channel read, ‘Is baar stunts se jyada torture kiya ja raha hai, ye hai darr ka naya daur.’ Another user wrote, ‘Yeh asal mein torture hain bhai.’ A viewer also commented, ‘Giving pain to someone is not a daring thing related to overcoming fear; it is simply sadism for entertainment! Stunt should not be based on taking physical pain or injury as a compulsory part or task!’

Another fan added, ‘It’s really painful this season compared to previous seasons, but I don’t know what I feel about this. I love the factor of getting over fear, yes, but this is pure torture like candle wax is something we aren’t scared of; we just don’t want to burn, simple. That’s not fear.’ One user also gave credit to a past contestant, writing, ‘Wax stunt ka champion ek hi only Tejaswi Prakash.’

This isn’t the first time the current season has sparked outrage online. Just a week earlier, a stunt involving 40 rubber pellets fired at contestants left several of them injured, sparking similar outrage. Following that episode, Banijay Asia CEO Deepak Dhar addressed the criticism in a conversation with Hindustan Times, saying the show is ‘not all brutal’ and that every stunt is carried out under expert supervision. Contestants have also defended the show’s safety measures. Karan Wahi noted that participants are briefed in detail about the dos and don’ts before every stunt, while Avika Gor said the show involves extensive planning, professional stunt teams, medical support and multiple safety checks before any task is attempted.