Dhurandhar 2: Not Dawood Ibrahim, Danish Iqbal Reveals He Observed Sick And Elderly In Hospitals For 'Bade Sahab' Role | Exclusive

Dhurandhar: The Revenge has hit the theatres, and the identity of the notorious Bade Sahab has been finally revealed. There was immense speculation around who would be playing the character in Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster franchise. Emraan Hashmi and Salman Khan were rumoured to essay this small but significant part in Dhurandhar 2, but that is not the case. Actor Danish Iqbal portrays the character of Dawood Ibrahim aka Bade Sahab in the Dhurandhar sequel, and many are surprised at how the scenes with him have played out.

Bade Sahab is revealed as an old, sickly and bedridden man, who commands respect and authority even though he is physically restricted. While speaking exclusively to Republic Digital, Danish revealed how he prepared himself to get into the skin of Dawood, an elusive terrorist. He admitted that instead of researching on him through documentaries, video clips and snaps, he visited hospitals and observed the elderly.

“Dawood's character has been played by so many people earlier. Some really big names and good actors have done this character, so I had to find some new things, some fine lines, and some more depth in the character. All these things were going on in my mind, and I took some time to prepare for this character,” Danish shared.

“I observed lots of old people and how they talk. I went to a couple of hospitals and visited a few relatives. It was not intentional. When you accidentally land in a hospital, my process was to observe old people and how they are talking, their body language and mannerisms,” he added.

The actor further shared that his past experience of playing aged characters helped him in portraying Bade Sahab in Dhurandhar 2. "I acted in a play when I was 19 or 20. I played the character of 85-90 year old man. It helped me a lot. This character was in the back of my head, and it all came together,” the NSD alumni revealed.

“I have to do a scene, and I have to portray a man who is old and physically unfit and is going through a particular disease. My process was to get into the skin of this old man. The power, aggression and authority. You are sick, and at the same time, you have that gravity and authority so it was challenging to balance it all,” the actor said while reflecting on his now-viral role.

On a lighter note, Danish shared that he was wary of people not recognising him in the movie due to the heavy prosthetics and his unrecognisable look, but he moved past it. "I don't mind if people recognise me on the streets as long as they appreciate my role onscreen. It's such a kind of performance that people are lost in the talent and the craft of acting," he asserted.  

Aside from his much-discussed Dhurandhar 2 role as Bade Sahab, Danish's acting credits include Maharani 2, Sankalp and Haq. He has also appeared in Faraaz and Aakhri Sach.

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