Arjun Rampal on Playing ISI Major in Dhurandhar: “I Wanted to Get Out of the Character”

Actor Arjun Rampal has spoken about the emotional toll of portraying a ruthless ISI officer in Dhurandhar, revealing that the role left him wanting to step out of the character as quickly as possible.

Rampal’s portrayal of Major Iqbal, a senior ISI official and a key antagonist in the film, has drawn widespread attention for breaking away from his usual suave, glamorous image. Sharing his experience in an interview with Grazia, the actor said the role was personally unsettling but one he felt compelled to take on because of the film’s relevance.

“I wanted to get out of the character as soon as I could. One of the main reasons I did it was because this is an important film. Watching an event is one thing, but understanding what happened behind the scenes of those events is what intrigued me as an audience member,” Rampal said.

He admitted that embodying a character linked to acts of terror was emotionally uncomfortable. “You feel horrible doing it because you love your country so much. But that’s what being an actor demands—you have to dive into it completely,” he added, explaining that he approached the role with professional detachment despite the internal conflict.

In Dhurandhar, Major Iqbal is depicted as the handler of the 26/11 attackers and a central figure orchestrating multiple terror operations against India. The intensity of Rampal’s performance has significantly amplified the film’s impact and sparked strong audience reactions.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian operative working inside Pakistan. The ensemble cast also includes Akshaye Khanna as a Pakistani gangster, Sanjay Dutt as Karachi police officer Chaudhary Aslam, and R Madhavan as the Indian intelligence chief.

Rampal is set to reprise his role as Major Iqbal in Dhurandhar 2, which is expected to bring the arc of Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza alias Jaskirat, to a close. The sequel is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 19, 2026.