Not every powerful scene comes easily, even when it ends up leaving a deep mark on audiences. One of the most unsettling moments in Dhurandhar — involving Ranveer Singh’s character Hamza — almost didn’t
happen at all. Actor Naseem, who played Lulli in the film, has now revealed that he initially refused to perform the “sexual assault” scene after reading it in the script. The reason wasn’t hesitation about the role, but fear and nervousness about performing such an intense moment opposite a star he admired a lot. ‘I said I won’t do it’ Lulli appears early in the film and leaves a lasting impact on Hamza’s journey in Karachi. The character attempts to sexually assault Hamza, a moment that sets the emotional tone for what follows. Speaking to Filmygyan, Naseem admitted the scene overwhelmed him when he first read it. “When I read the scene, I said I won’t do it. After reading the scene, I was very nervous. I am such a big fan of Ranveer Singh. I was also thinking that he is such a big star, how will I do this with him?” Naseem said he even told the assistant director that he wouldn’t be able to perform the scene. How Ranveer stepped in Before the shoot, Ranveer Singh personally reached out to him. That conversation, Naseem says, helped him. “Ranveer sir called me and he spoke to me,” he said, before adding, “Whatever love and appreciation I am getting for my work here, it is all because of the team of Dhurandhar.” According to Naseem, Ranveer’s approach on set removed the fear and hierarchy he was carrying into the scene. “He doesn’t make you feel like you are working with a star. He comes in with such great energy and he gives that energy to his co-actors also. He is very down to earth. The way he hugs you… He immediately makes you feel comfortable.” Performing the Dhurandhar scene without hesitation Once that comfort was established, Naseem said he was able to let go of his inhibitions and focus purely on the character. Ranveer also helped him stay grounded in the scene. “He spoke to me about the character, and if I was going out of character, he would bring me back.” The scene was shot twice, with careful adjustments made to maintain the balance between realism and restraint. “That character is a little lusty and brutal. In the first take, he looked a little too brutal so we reduced that in the second take,” Naseem shared. Lulli’s role in the larger story Lulli is shown as a member of Babu Dakait’s gang and plays a crucial role in the chain of events that follow. His actions ultimately connect Hamza to Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait, who kills Lulli in broad daylight on the streets of Lyari. The character is also responsible for the killing of Rehman’s son, tying multiple storylines together. While Lulli’s screen time is brief, the impact of the character — and the scene Naseem almost walked away from — has stayed with audiences.
