Dhurandhar 2 villains: From Major Iqbal to Bade Sahab, real-life killers who inspired the film’s darkest characters
While the film takes creative liberties, some characters are loosely based on controversial figures linked to crime, terrorism and geopolitics in South Asia.
Here’s a closer look at the key villains and the real stories behind them.
Major Iqbal: Shadowy ISI Operator
Major Iqbal, played by Arjun Rampal, is one of the main antagonists in the film. The character is reportedly inspired by real figures, most notably Ilyas Kashmiri, a former agent of the Pakistani Special Forces who later became a prominent jihadist leader.
Kashmiri has been linked to several high-profile terror plots, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and was once identified as one of the most dangerous militants by global intelligence agencies. He was killed in a US drone attack in 2011.
SP Chaudhary Aslam: Controversial Enforcer
Sanjay Dutt’s character SP Chaudhary Aslam is inspired by the life of renowned Pakistani police officer Chaudhry Aslam Khan.
Known as the “encounter expert”, Aslam led many operations against criminals and militant groups in Karachi, especially during the Lyari operations. But his career was also beset by controversy, including allegations of extrajudicial killings. He was reportedly killed in a suicide attack by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in 2014.
Rehman Dakait: Gangster with Political Connections
Although he makes a brief appearance in the sequel, Akshaye Khanna’s character is based on the notorious gangster Rehman Dakait of Karachi’s Lyari district.
Dakait was involved in organized crime, including extortion, kidnapping and drug trafficking. He also had political connections through the People’s Aman Committee. He was killed in a police shootout in 2009.
Uzair Baloch: Crime Lord of Lyari
Danish Pandor plays Uzair Baloch, who is reportedly based on real-life gang leader Uzair Jan Baloch.
Following the death of Rehman Dakait, Uzair Baloch assumed control of criminal operations in Karachi’s Lyari district and became the central figure of violent gang wars in the area.
His rise in organized crime was reportedly driven by a mix of personal vendettas and power struggles, including allegations of the brutal murder of rival gang leader Arshad Pappu. Allegations of political affiliation further contributed to his growing fame.
‘Bade Sahab’: Global Crime King
It is widely seen that the character of “Bade Sahab” played by Danish Iqbal was inspired by Davud Ibrahim, one of the world’s most wanted fugitives.
Dawood, the founder of the D-Company crime syndicate, has been linked to terrorism, organized crime and the 1993 Mumbai bombings. He has been described as a global terrorist and remains a key figure in debates around cross-border criminal networks.
Javed Khanani: Financial Connection
Ankit Sagar’s role as Javed Khanani reflects the financial underbelly of global criminal networks.
The character was reportedly inspired by Khanani & Kalia International, a foreign exchange firm that was shut down due to allegations of large-scale money laundering.
The network was said to facilitate illicit financial flows in many countries, highlighting the role of financial systems in sustaining organized crime.
Fiction Based on Reality
While Dhurandhar 2 is a work of fiction, many of its characters are clearly inspired by real-world events, including gang wars, terrorist networks and complex financial crimes in Karachi.
The real-life figures’ influence extends beyond villains to notable heroes.
For example, it is widely seen that R. Madhavan’s character of Intelligence Bureau Director Ajay Sanyal was inspired by India’s long-serving National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. A senior intelligence officer with over three decades of experience, Doval is known for his role in counter-terrorism operations and high-risk covert missions, shaping India’s modern security strategy.
For now, all eyes are on the film’s performance; It might be best to wait until the box office is over to see how many records it will break.
