Stepping into the world of Rana Naidu isn’t for the faint-hearted. But Arjun Rampal isn’t just stepping in—he’s diving headfirst into the darkness, bringing with him a character that’s as chilling as he is charming.
In the second season of the gritty Netflix thriller, Rampal plays Rauf, a new antagonist whose unpredictability and twisted charisma inject a fresh jolt of danger into the narrative. But portraying such a layered character didn’t come easy—it took deep introspection, immersive research, and a willingness to explore the bizarre truths of the underworld.
“I was hesitant at first,” Rampal confesses, recalling his initial response to the role. “I needed to fully grasp Rauf’s journey—where he begins, where he ends, and what drives him. But then Karan [Anshuman] made me feel completely at ease. I watched the first season, and I was hooked—the writing, the performances, the tension beneath the surface. It all resonated.”
What turned his hesitation into a resounding yes was a candid creative exchange with the series’ creators—Karan Anshuman, Suparn Verma, and Abhay Chopra. For Rampal, Rauf wasn’t a typical on-screen villain. He was a paradox: suave yet sinister, magnetic yet malevolent. “He tricks you into thinking he’s the good guy,” Rampal explains. “And then he does something that completely unnerves you.”
To build Rauf’s persona, Rampal drew from true stories—some so strange they sounded like urban legends. “I’ve spoken to people with first hand experience of the underworld. One guy told me he hid in a morgue for an entire week to escape being caught. It’s surreal. But those bizarre, extreme measures—they’re real, and they speak to the kind of world Rauf comes from.”
Season 2 promises a whirlwind of betrayals, emotional reckonings, and jaw-dropping twists. With Rampal’s Rauf entering the mix, the stakes rise exponentially. He doesn’t just bring danger—he brings the kind of menace that catches you off guard with a smile.
So, what can fans expect? The unexpected. And if Rampal’s intense transformation is anything to go by, Rana Naidu Season 2 is gearing up to be a wild, unforgettable ride.