Arjun Rampal says Rauf in 'Rana Naidu' is the most ruthless role of his career

Arjun Rampal has stepped into a deeply unsettling place with his portrayal of Rauf in Netflix’s Rana Naidu season 2. The actor, known for playing intense characters, says this role was unlike anything he’s done before.

“He’s the most terrifyingly real character I’ve ever played,” Rampal said. Rauf is unpredictable, violent, and entirely devoid of empathy, yet not completely soulless. What sets him apart is a surprising emotional sliver: the fierce love he holds for his niece. “She’s the only one he protects without question,” he explained. “It’s the only time you see something human in him.”

For Rampal, the challenge wasn’t just about playing a violent man. It was about showing the emotional contradictions buried under that rage. “The fine line between menace and vulnerability is where Rauf lives. That’s what made him so difficult to portray,” he said.

A new layer of conflict in Rana Naidu season 2

In the latest season, Rampal’s character is a new addition to the already explosive dynamic between Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati, who play a feuding son and father. Rauf’s entry heightens the emotional stakes, bringing in a cold, calculated energy that shifts the entire tone of the show.

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Directed by Karan Anshuman, Suparn Verma, and Abhay Chopra, and produced by Locomotive Global Media, Rana Naidu continues to explore themes of loyalty, power, and personal demons, with Rampal’s Rauf adding a new layer of darkness.