Rana Naidu Season 2: Arjun Rampal unveils his darkest role yet

Arjun Rampal is all set to shake things up in the second season of the hit Netflix series Rana Naidu, taking on what he describes as the most chilling role of his career. Rampal joins the cast as Rauf — a character he calls "the most ruthless and terrifyingly real" he has ever portrayed.

Arjun Rampal joins Rana Naidu Season 2 as its most ruthless villain yet

Rauf is introduced as a new and dangerous force in the world of Rana Naidu, a series headlined by Rana Daggubati. With no empathy and a mind driven by chaos, Rauf is capable of horrifying brutality. Yet, Rampal notes that beneath this darkness lies a surprising depth.

"There's a sliver of vulnerability — especially in how he loves his niece. She's the only person he protects without question," Arjun said, adding that this duality made the role particularly challenging. "What made playing Rauf so difficult was balancing his moments of tenderness with his total descent into darkness."

The series, created by Karan Anshuman and directed by Anshuman alongside Suparn Verma and Abhay Chopra, is produced by Locomotive Global Media.

In a behind-the-scenes anecdote, Anshuman shared a humorous moment from filming. During a tense confrontation scene between Rana Daggubati and his real-life uncle, Venkatesh Daggubati (who plays his estranged father in the series), the actors began improvising in Telugu. Anshuman, not fluent in the language, was eager to see the sparks fly — until he heard one unexpected word: "biryani." The moment threw the director off completely, turning tension into laughter.

Rana Naidu Season 2 premieres on Netflix on June 13.