Arjun Rampal opens up about playing ISI Major Iqbal in Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, 'I felt horrible when doing it because you love your country so much'

Arjun Rampal’s portrayal of ISI Major Iqbal, ominously dubbed the Angel of Death, has become one of the most discussed aspects of Dhurandhar. While the film continues its strong box office run, Rampal’s chilling antagonist has sparked a parallel conversation online, with many calling it one of his most disturbing performances yet.

Opening up about the role, Arjun admitted that inhabiting a character so ideologically opposed to his own beliefs came at an emotional cost. The actor revealed that he was eager to distance himself from the character once filming concluded.




“I wanted to get out of the character as soon as I could. One of the important reasons to do it was because it is an important film to do,” he was quoted as saying by Bollywood Hungama.

‘I felt horrible when doing it’

Elaborating on the internal conflict he experienced during the shoot, Rampal explained how portraying such moments can be unsettling for an actor, even if they appear thrilling on screen.

“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 doing it because you love your country so much, but I guess that’s what an actor’s job is, and you just have to dive into it,” he added.

About Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar follows Intelligence Bureau chief Ajay Sanyal, played by R. Madhavan, as he leads a high-stakes mission to dismantle a terror network operating out of Pakistan. Ranveer Singh essays the role of a Punjabi youth recruited from prison and trained to infiltrate Karachi’s criminal underworld.

The film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead, alongside Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna and R. Madhavan. With the film already raking in Rs 572 crore at the box office, a sequel is firmly in place.



Dhurandhar 2 is slated to release on March 19, 2026, and is set for a major box office clash with Yash-starrer Toxic, which is also scheduled to hit theatres on the same day.

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