'Lyari Residents Were Relieved When He Died': Dhurandhar Actor Shrysh Zutshi Opens Up On Playing Gangster Babla - EXCL

Amid the growing buzz around the success of the Dhurandhar franchise, almost every character in both Part 1 and Part 2 has stood out, each showcasing its own uniqueness. One role that particularly stands out for its intensity is Babla, played by actor Shrysh Zutshi. Inspired by the real-life gangster Baba Ladla, Babla is not just another henchman but a deeply etched character whose presence adds weight to the film’s gritty narrative.In an exclusive conversation, Shrysh Zutshi, who was born into a Kashmiri Pandit family, delves into the making of Babla, the physical and psychological demands of the role and what it took to exist in the violent ecosystem of Rehman Dakait’s gang.Building Babla: ‘More Than Just a Gang Member’For Zutshi, portraying

Babla was not about playing a stereotypical gangster; it was about understanding a mindset.“Babla is the right-hand man of Rehman Dakait and was feared in Lyari. When I went deep into the research on the character, I found that he had committed numerous crimes; there was hardly anything he hadn’t done. Residents of Lyari were actually relieved when he died,” he says, underlining the character’s intensity.To bring that fear factor alive, Zutshi focused on both external transformation and internal depth. “I worked on how he talks, how he behaves, his aggression and also his loyalty towards his boss. There’s a certain psychology you have to build.”The role required him to undergo a noticeable physical transformation, including weight gain, alongside intensive character study. “You cannot fake such roles. You have to live them,” he adds.Living The Character On And Off SetZutshi’s preparation extended beyond rehearsals. He immersed himself in Babla’s world even off-camera.“I started living like the character, wearing similar clothes, adapting his habits, even imagining how he would eat or speak,” he shares. “But once you’re on set, you forget all the preparation and perform naturally, that’s the real test.”

High-Risk Action and Precision FilmmakingA major highlight of Zutshi’s performance comes from the film’s action sequences, particularly a gripping car fight scene with Ranveer Singh.“It was physically demanding but very enjoyable,” he says. “We spent days rehearsing. Every movement, when I pull out the gun, when he stops the car, everything was choreographed step by step.”The shoot wasn’t without its risks. During one rehearsal, a prop gun accidentally hit Ranveer Singh’s nose, leaving him slightly injured. “I was really worried, but he handled it very professionally,” Zutshi recalls.The film’s scale meant blending real stunts with advanced visual effects. “For one sequence where my head gets chopped off, they did a full 3D mapping of my face and body. It took 30–40 minutes just to capture the details. Then it was combined with VFX and a dummy body,” he explains.

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Sharing Screen Space With PowerhousesWorking alongside actors like Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna added another layer to the experience. “With Ranveer, the energy is incredible. He pushes you to match his level,” Zutshi says.His interactions with Akshaye Khanna, however, were marked by a quiet intensity. “He stays completely in character. You don’t address him by his real name; you speak to him as his character. That’s the level of immersion on set.”This environment of staying in character helped maintain the film’s tone. “Even if we were standing across from each other, sometimes we would just exchange a gesture, addressing each other with a salaam, instead of breaking character.”Speaking about his interaction with director Aditya Dhar, Zutshi shared that since both come from Kashmir, they bonded over their roots and even conversed in Kashmiri on set.Sharing a fun anecdote, he recalls, “Off camera, we used to have these small celebrations. After the Punjab schedule wrapped up, we had a party where everyone celebrated together. Those were the moments when we truly bonded with the entire team.”

Understanding The World Of DhurandharZutshi’s role took around 8–9 months to shoot across multiple locations, including Mumbai and Punjab, demanding consistency and endurance.“What you see on screen for a few seconds can take days to shoot,” he says. “There’s a lot of rehearsal, technical setup and post-production work that goes into it.”For him, one of the biggest takeaways was witnessing the director’s clarity. “He had already visualised everything. Even when actors had doubts, he could explain exactly how the final scene would look.”‘This Is Cinema, Not Propaganda’Amid the film’s success, Dhurandhar has also sparked debate, with some calling it a 'propaganda' film. Zutshi, however, views it differently.“Propaganda doesn’t allow the audience to think, it presents a fixed narrative. This film doesn’t do that,” he says.He believes the conversation often stems from perception rather than craft. “This is not just content; this is cinema. There’s structure, choreography, and a proper understanding of filmmaking behind it.”A Character That Leaves a MarkAt its core, Babla is a character shaped by violence, loyalty, and fear - qualities that Zutshi worked hard to embody with authenticity.“Every role teaches you something,” he reflects. “With Babla, it was about understanding darkness without judging it.”As Dhurandhar continues to generate buzz, Zutshi’s performance stands as a reminder that even within a spectacle-driven narrative, it is the depth of individual characters that leaves a lasting impact.

Giving his final message to aspiring actors, he says, “Don’t enter this field chasing money or fame, because that can lead to burnout. Instead, treat it as a journey, not a struggle. If you remain committed, your time will come. Don’t give up.”Shrysh Zutshi’s 20-Year Journey in CinemaBorn into a Kashmiri Pandit family, Shrysh Zutshi’s early life was shaped by displacement following the migration from Kashmir. After moving to Jammu and later studying pharmacy in Pune, he unexpectedly entered the entertainment industry when a friend submitted his application for the Grasim Industry India pageant. Selected as a finalist, he moved to Mumbai at a young age, arriving with just Rs 900 - a moment he still recalls as the beginning of his journey.He began as a model before shifting to acting. His acting career took off when he landed his first film, Keerthi Chakra, with Malayalam director Major Ravi. He went on to collaborate with Ravi again in Kurukshetra, where he played the lead antagonist opposite Mohanlal. Around the same time, he was also selected for Shoojit Sircar’s ambitious project Johnny Mastana, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jimmy Shergill, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Although the film was never released, it marked a significant phase in his early career. He later appeared in Notebook, directed by Nitin Kakkar, and in Amaran, where he played a lead antagonist alongside Sivakarthikeyan.He also founded his production house, Dramaturge Pictures, in Jammu, producing short films. His journey, spanning over 20 years in the film industry, reflects persistence and steady growth.Meanwhile, Dhurandhar Part 1, released on December 5, 2025, reportedly earned around Rs 1200 crore globally. Dhurandhar Part 2, released on March 19, 2026, went on to collect approximately Rs 1500 crore worldwide, smashing multiple box office records.