Aditya Uppal Calls Dhurandhar a Paid Training School in Acting

Mumbai, March 2026 – Aditya Uppal has emerged as one of the most pleasant surprises from Aditya Dhar’s high-octane action duology Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge. His portrayal of ASP Omar Haider of the Lyari Task Force left a strong mark in the first film and truly stole the spotlight in the second installment. What audiences saw on screen was the result of intense preparation, deep research, and a transformative on-set experience that the actor now describes as his “paid two-year training school.”

Recalling how he landed the role, Aditya Uppal shared that casting director Mukesh Chhabra reached out to him directly. “Mukesh Chhabra sir told me that the look matches really well and I should go for it,” he said. After a few auditions, Uppal was finally selected to play the dedicated officer Omar Haider.

Stepping into the character was far from easy. Uppal dove deep into research to understand the mindset, mannerisms, and background of his role. “I went through a lot of YouTube content and the material given by the editorial team,” he revealed. “I tried to understand the character’s views, mannerisms, backgrounds, and the way they talk. Since he is a writer, I focused on the arc of his personality.”

Certain scenes demanded special physical preparation. “There were scenes where I had a gun in my hand, so I had to go through proper gun training,” he added. This attention to detail helped him bring authenticity to the intense action sequences and emotional moments that defined Omar Haider.

A major highlight of the shoot for Uppal was sharing screen space with veteran actor Sanjay Dutt, who played SP Chaudhary Aslam, the head of the Lyari Task Force. Being a longtime fan, Aditya found the experience both exciting and inspiring. “My first interaction with him was when I told him I was his big fan and loved his films Saajan and Khalnayak,” he recalled with a smile. “Working with him was a delightful experience and a dream come true. I was extremely facilitated by his personality and dialogue delivery. Certain words in the film were situational, and he delivered them so well that they made it feel so real.”

Uppal reserved special praise for director Aditya Dhar, whom he now considers a mentor who shaped him both personally and professionally. “He has taught me nuances of acting and filmmaking and how an actor needs to understand his shots and how everything needs to be done,” he said. “He makes sure that the actors are comfortable. He is a man who is taking us to the cinema which we see internationally.”

Describing the entire journey, Aditya Uppal called the project a rare learning opportunity. “This I would say was like a paid two years of training school. I am sure good work will come my way, and I would love to take it up and do workshops and further train myself and make sure my audiences are well entertained,” he shared. “Overall, he is a great mentor and a guide.”

Before Dhurandhar, Aditya Uppal had already worn many hats — actor, host, writer, theatre director, and brand strategist. His journey began in school theatre groups and continued with nukkad nataks. In college, he was part of a theatre group that performed street skits on climate awareness, often turning Bollywood spoofs into meaningful messages.

His first brush with films came at Kingdom of Dreams, which led to a small but memorable cameo in Hansal Mehta’s Omerta, where he played a terrorist named Abu opposite Rajkummar Rao. He has also appeared in Break Ke Baad. These varied experiences, combined with his theatre roots, helped him approach the demanding role of ASP Omar Haider with depth and sincerity.

Looking ahead, Aditya Uppal is eager to explore diverse roles that go beyond stereotypes. “I want to approach those roles with new nuances and show something new to my audiences,” he said. “I would love to explore humor, comedy, and action. Looking forward to having some great collaborations with the Bollywood film industry.”

With his grounded preparation, sincere performances, and clear hunger to grow, Aditya Uppal’s work in the Dhurandhar franchise has positioned him as a promising talent to watch. The film not only gave him a strong platform but also equipped him with invaluable lessons that he plans to carry into future projects, promising audiences more layered and impactful characters in the years to come.