Shot Dhurandhar, Ramayana back-to-back with Ranveer, Ranbir: Actor Abhay Arora

Actor Abhay Arora, who played Yasir in Dhurandhar, revealed that he had secured a role in Ramayana even before the Ranveer Singh-starrer was released and went on to become a massive two-part hit. In an exclusive interview, Abhay shared his experience of shooting for both films simultaneously.

He described his hectic schedule, saying he would shoot Dhurandhar in Bangkok and then report for Ramayana the next morning with Ranbir Kapoor. The debutant praised both stars for their professionalism and kindness, emphasising how importance of working with such individuals.

On juggling Dhurandhar and Ramayana

Speaking to India Today, Abhay said, "I cannot disclose the role in Ramayana at the moment. But I'd like to tell you that within a few hours, I was filming Dhurandhar in Bangkok and then filming Ramayana the next morning with Ranbir. I closely worked with them, and I really loved the kind of human beings they are to work with, which is so important."

Working style of Ranveer and Ranbir

When asked about the differences between the two actors, Abhay said both are hardworking and professional. He noted that he has seen them work for 15 to 16 hours, highlighting their dedication and ability to sustain long careers.

"They say that it is easy to reach somewhere, but it is difficult to sustain themselves, being there for a long time, speaks a lot about both of them and how hardworking they are. Everybody has a different way of looking at things, have different attitude towards things. But both of them are very soft and large-hearted," he added.

Dhurandhar was physically more challenging

On which project was more demanding, Abhay said Dhurandhar was physically tougher. He explained that the two roles were vastly different - one being a gangster and the other a mythological character. Maintaining the balance between such contrasting characters was, according to him, a challenge many professionals face.

Responds to propaganda claims

Addressing claims that Dhurandhar is a propaganda film, Abhay said that in a country of 1.5 billion people, opinions are bound to differ. He stressed that the term 'propaganda' should be understood clearly.

"It is a storytelling that is based on real events in life, real killing spies, real incidents in life. We did have demonetisation, we did have 26/11. We are just talking about it on a larger scale to tell our audience what it is all about. It is not a fiction. So, if something is a part of a real story, it cannot be called propaganda," the actor said.

Praises director Aditya Dhar’s peak detailing

Speaking about working with director Aditya Dhar, Abhay praised his attention to detail and professionalism. He said Dhar was the second director he worked with after Nitesh Tiwari, but Dhurandhar was released first.

"Everybody has been talking about peak detailing by Aditya Dhar. I would say that he is a tremendous human being to work with. He was actually the second director I was working with. I worked with Nitesh Tiwari before him. But Dhurandhar happened to come first. And really, it's amazing. He (Aditya) is an amazing human being, he would take care of you so well, so precise with his work. It was a great experience to be around a human like that, a professional like that," he said.

‘Ranveer made me feel like family’

On working with Ranveer, Abhay called him a great human being and a professional who carries positive energy. "He would make me feel a part of his family. I remember sharing a cup of coffee with him. We were having coffee in the same cup, and that's the kind of human he is. He is outstanding to work with," he said.

Dhurandhar 2 is currently enjoying a strong run at the box office. The film has surpassed the total worldwide lifetime collection of its predecessor in just 11 days, according to trade website Sacnilk. The first Dhurandhar, released four months ago on December 5, 2025, earned Rs1,307.35 crore globally, while Dhurandhar 2 has crossed Rs 1,360 crore worldwide. Apart from Ranveer, the film also stars Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi, among others.

Ramayana, on the other hand, will also be released in two parts. The first part of the mythological film will release this year on Diwali. Alongside Ranbir Kapoor, the film features Sunny Deol, Yash, and Sai Pallavi, among others.