Arjun Rampal recalls feeling horrible playing ISI's Major Iqbal in Dhurandhar: 'Wanted to get out'

Arjun Rampal in Dhurandhar

As Dhurandhar's exceptional run continues at the box office, the actors are also at the forefront, basking in the success and all the praise coming their way. Just like Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, many are in awe of Arjun Rampal's portrayal of the brutal and ruthless character in the multi-starrer film, which has emerged as one of the biggest action blockbusters of the year.

Arjun Rampal on his character in Dhurandhar

Arjun Rampal plays the role Major Iqbal, a calculating ISI mastermind. His cold character has drawn widespread praise for its intensity and brutality. During a recent interview with Grazia India, the actor spoke about the emotional toll of playing the character and his longing to detach from the role after the filming wrapped.

He shared, "I wanted to get out of the 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; what happened behind the scenes to see those events taking place is something that would excite me as an audience. 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."

About Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar is helmed by Aditya Dhar and produced under the banners of Jio Studios and B62 Studios. The large-scale action entertainer that shows the bravery of India's special agents operating in Pakistan. The actioner features a powerhouse ensemble cast of Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, and Sara Arjun.

Interestingly, the film is inspired by real-life events linked to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, wherein Ranveer Singh plays a fearless undercover spy. Released on December 5, 2025, the film has been on a record-setting spree at the box office. Riding high on its success, a sequel slated for release in March 2026 has already been announced by the makers.

As of day 20 since its release, Dhurandhar's total box office collection is nearing Rs 900 crore, cementing it's position as the highest-grossing hits of 2025.