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‘Hamza more challenging than Khilji’: What Ranveer Singh told Superyou co-founder, said Dhurandhar took ‘so much out of me’

Ranveer Singh opened up about playing Hamza/Jaskirat Singh Rangi in Dhurandhar and how the process was way more demanding than the darkest role of his career, Alauddin Khilji, revealed Superyou co-founder.

Ranveer Singh Dhurandhar PadmaavatRanveer Singh on Dhurandhar more challenging than Padmaavat (Photos: YouTube Screengrabs)

Actor Ranveer Singh has surely set a benchmark with his performance in Dhurandhar. While his role in the Aditya Dhar film is said to be his career best, in the past, Ranveer has also played various other challenging roles. Until Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh’s performance as Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat remained his most challenging role, for which the actor had famously said that it sent him in a dark place and impacted him personally. However, his character in Dhurandhar precedes that now. In a conversation with Men’s XP, Ranveer Singh’s business partner Nikunj Biyani recalls their conversation where Ranveer said playing Hamza and Jaskirit Singh Rangi in Dhurandhar was more challenging than playing Alauddin Khilji.

What Ranveer Singh sais about playing Hamza in Dhurandhar

In his recent interview, while Nikunj praised Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar, he shared, “I saw Dhurandhar first day first show for both the movies, I loved the film. Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, for me, was the best film of all time. I enjoyed part one as well, but part 2 was something else. We were chatting with him once, and we asked him if he would do something that would be as demanding as Khilji, and he said, ‘This character has been way more challenging for me, as an artist; it has taken so much more out of me. I have had to go deep and give it 300 percent; it has been very demanding.'”

Also Read: Ranveer Singh can’t stop smiling as paps greet him with ‘Baba badhai ho’ after pregnancy announcement

 

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Hamza ‘took so much more’ than playing Khilji

In 2019, Ranveer Singh spoke to India Today about locking himself in a room for weeks to prepare for his role as Alauddin Khilji. He had shared how he avoided meeting people, moved to a new apartment closer to the set, and read many books about Khilji.

“I took 21 days and locked myself up in my Goregaon house. I was completely isolated. I kind of isolated myself, marinated into the character because I can’t relate to Alaudin Khilji, I can’t relate to that level of manipulativeness, greed and ambition. I had to tap into dark experiences but his world view is not something I can relate to also,” he continued.

Khilji took Ranveer Singh to a dark place

He added that the process became ‘dangerous’ for him. “Stuff that I have buried in my conscience, that I had to dig out in order to play this character. And it was not always pretty, which validates my apprehension. I knew how deep I had to go into this rabbit hole. I would have had to go into this dark, black space. This abyss that could be dangerous for me. And it was.”

In 2018, Ranveer had said, “When I was offered Padmaavat, most people thought that a hero should not play the anti-hero. But I believed otherwise. I saw Khilji as a challenge for me, as an actor. And I wanted to take the challenge up. I went with the vision of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and my instinct of what I could achieve with Khilji.”

He had also shared, “I took a big risk with this character, and it’s wonderful to see my gamble pay off. This kind of validation gives one the confidence to take bigger and bigger risks, challenge stereotypes, and continue to push the envelope in the realm of mainstream Hindi cinema. I feel very happy and very fulfilled today.”

Ranveer Singh as the co-founder of Super You

Nikunj, who is the co-founder of Super You, also spoke about Ranveer Singh’s creative genius and involvement in the brand. He said, “We get to see the other side of Ranveer Singh. The world has seen this one side of him, which is an insanely talented actor or superstar. They have seen him in his public appearances as an extremely high-energy person. We also get to see his other side, where he is so detail-oriented about everything. He is so thoughtful about anything that goes out. He is very well aware of what’s happening and anything that he is doing. He is that extreme energy guy all the time, whenever you meet him, but he is also the person who goes very deep into everything.”

 

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Nikunj further added, “He will want to know the smallest of details, and then he absorbs everything, activates his creative muscles, and then come these sharp creative insights. When we started, he told me that my background was business, product, and operations. I trust you fully with it. I understand content and how to land a certain narrative or story, and you trust me with it. As long as that is there, we have nothing to worry about. He has never gotten involved in things that he will not have valuable input into. He was clear with this from the get-go. He has known everything that has been going on.”

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Recalling Ranveer Singh’s detail-oriented approach in their first brand film, Nikunj shared, “The first brand film that we did, he has literally taken screenshots frame by frame and given feedback himself. He said which shot can be better, if we can alternate one option with the other, and I don’t know what kind of memory he has. He will remember something from 20 years ago about you that you did not know, it’s scary. He has a crazy memory. He is extremely detail-oriented. He is creative in these impactful ways.”

Nawaz Javed Kochra is a seasoned entertainment journalist at The Indian Express Online, bringing nearly a decade of expertise to the forefront of cultural reporting. With a focus on the television and Over-The-Top (OTT) landscapes, he has established himself as a prominent voice in the industry, known for his high-profile celebrity interviews and insightful coverage of the Indian entertainment sector. Experience & Career Nawaz holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Journalism from Mumbai University, providing him with a rigorous academic and ethical foundation. In his 11-year career, he has navigated through several of India's leading media houses, building a portfolio that spans digital, print, and broadcast media: The Indian Express: Currently leads coverage of TV and OTT content, producing both written analysis and popular video interview segments. Former Roles: He began his career at the iconic Stardust Magazine and later held key positions at Zoom TV, Zee Multimedia, MissMalini, Bollywood Bubble, and Raindrop Media. Expertise & Focus Areas Nawaz’s beat is characterized by a blend of exclusive access and trend analysis. His core areas of expertise include: Reality Television: Specialized coverage of major franchises like Bigg Boss, providing behind-the-scenes insights and winner profiles. OTT Ecosystem: Tracking the shift from traditional cable to digital streaming platforms, with a focus on web series and digital premieres. Celebrity Profiles & Interviews: Nawaz is celebrated for his ability to foster candid conversations with industry stalwarts, from music composers like Amaal Mallik to other TV legends. Investigative Entertainment News: Reporting on sensitive industry developments, including legal disputes and personal stories of resilience within the acting community. Authoritativeness & Trust With a reputation built on years of networking and credible reporting, Nawaz Kochra is a "known face" in the Mumbai media circuit. His work at The Indian Express adheres to the publication's "Journalism of Courage" standard, ensuring that even entertainment reporting is approached with accuracy, sensitivity, and transparency. His educational background and extensive tenure across diverse media platforms provide him with the authoritative perspective required to analyze the rapid evolution of Indian show business. ... Read More

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