Mustafa Ahmed reveal how Aditya Dhar roped him in Dhurandhar: ‘I was on board to train Ranveer Singh’

The beauty of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge is the equal spotlight on the ensemble cast of the film. Among them is actor Mustafa Ahmed, who grabbed everyone's attention with his viral scene at Aalam's shop with Ranveer Singh. Talking about the film, Ahmed revealed how he was roped into the project to train Singh but ended up acting alongside him.

Mustafa Ahmed and Ranveer Singh's viral scene from Dhurandhar

Mustafa Ahmed is a popular celebrity trainer. In Dhurandhar, he essays the role of Rizwan, who was the right-hand man and shadow to Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza Ali Mazari, in Lyari.

Ahmed was introduced in the prequel. Rizwan, who was another undercover agent, meets Hamza. Their brief scene later found its way in Dhurandhar 2 as their shared past is revealed.

Recalling the now-viral scene, Mustafa Ahmed told Hindustan Times, “That’s my first scene in terms of dialogue for the movie. So while I was not nervous, I was very excited. I was constantly thinking that I didn’t want to give too many retakes, because I was in the scene with Ranveer Singh and Gaurav Gera sir, who plays Alam, I should be able to do justice to it. I rehearsed a lot and then on the day of it, we knew where this was going to lead. We share this look that we know each other, but we should not give it away, it has to be a subtle look. It doesn’t give you a complete hint of what’s going to happen in the second part, but it does give you this idea that there is something about the way these guys are looking at each other. I think Ranveer and my off-screen chemistry really helped.”

‘No instructions were given to me or Ranveer’

Mustafa revealed that Dhar gave no specific brief to him and Singh about their scene.

"No brief was given to us. From the narration we knew that the two characters were in the academy together. But in that particular time, we were not told to give any such expression. That’s the beauty of Aditya sir that he does not tell you what to do, he waits for you to do it. No instructions were given, me and Ranveer did it naturally. We did not discuss it. We knew the scene, the intensity and the backstory of it," he added.

How Ahmed Mustafa went from training to acting

Ahmed Mustafa shared he has been collaborating with Dhar for a long time, working with Manav Kaul, Yami Gautam and even Vicky for Ashwatthama.

He revealed Dhar gave him a role in Dhoom Dham after his earnest request to act in one of his films. "I asked him if there was ever an opportunity where I can maybe just even hold a gun and stand in a frame somewhere, I’d be very happy. I think he probably saw something, he saw that I probably can act. He first gave me the opportunity to work in Dhoom Dham, where I played the character of Sunny, a stripper. I think he saw that I had the potential."

He landed the role in Dhurandhar while training Ranveer Singh. “When he was making Dhurandhar he called me. I was already on board to train Ranveer, do his complete transformation for the role. Ranveer and I have also known each other for over eight to ten years, so then Aditya sir thought that our off-screen chemistry would look good for his bond for this character, because that’s what needed to be brought on screen. So then Aditya sir said, ‘Why don’t you go and audition?’ He didn’t tell me anything. He just told me, ‘Go and audition.’”

Mustafa added that he auditioned at Mukesh Chabbra's office for the film and bagged the role of Rizwan.