Shivani
Arjun Rampal, who portrays a ruthless ISI Major in Dhurandhar, admits he felt deeply uncomfortable performing several actions demanded by the role. While Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna continue to receive widespread acclaim, Rampal’s intense performance has also drawn praise. Abandoning his usual glamorous image, the actor transformed into a hardened ISI officer orchestrating terror operations from Pakistan.
In a recent interview, Arjun Rampal opened up about the emotional and mental challenges of embodying such a layered antagonist, explaining how exploring darkness required restraint, responsibility, and constant self-reflection to ensure the character remained impactful, believable, and unsettling without becoming caricatured excessively.
Arjun Rampal Talks About His Role In Dhurandhar
In a recent interview with Grazia, Arjun spoke about portraying Major Iqbal in Aditya Dhar’s film.“I wanted to get out of character as soon as I could. One of the important reasons to do it was that it is an important film to do. To see the event is one thing, but what happened behind the scenes to see those events taking place is something that would excite me as an audience,” stated Arjun.
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The actor admitted he felt uneasy performing his character’s on-screen actions, as they conflicted with his personal feelings. However, he explained that he approached the role professionally, reminding himself it was work and part of his responsibility as an actor. “I felt horrible when you’re doing it because you love your country so much, but I guess that’s what an actor’s job is, and you just dive into it,” added Arjun.
Arjun portrays Major Iqbal, an ISI officer, in Dhurandhar. The character is depicted as the handler of the 26/11 attackers. His involvement in the Mumbai carnage and several other terror strikes against India has generated strong curiosity, controversy, and significant buzz around the upcoming film among audiences and industry insiders.
Star-Studded Cast And Plot Details Of Aditya Dhar’s Spy Thriller
Dhurandhar is a high-octane spy thriller directed by Aditya Dhar, featuring Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy operating in Pakistan. Akshaye Khanna essays a Pakistani gangster, while Sanjay Dutt appears as Karachi SP Chaudhary Aslam. R Madhavan plays the Indian intelligence chief. Arjun reprises his role in Dhurandhar 2, which concludes Ranveer’s Hamza, also known as Jaskirat. The sequel releases theatrically on March 19, 2026, and promises a decisive, action-packed finale for the franchise saga.