Dhurandhar: Who is Danish Pandor? All you need to know about actor who played Uzair Baloch in Ranveer Singh's espionage actioner

Aditya Dhar's espionage thriller Dhurandhar is a hit. Danish Pandor gained recognition playing mobster Uzair Baloch, a key enforcer used in the RAW operation's climax.

Danish Pandor with Ranveer Singh in Dhurandhar

On its opening day, December 5, 2025, Aditya Dhar's espionage thriller Dhurandhar grossed an unprecedented ₹28 crore causing a ripple effect in the post-release news cycle. Using the violent Lyari gang battles in Karachi as a backdrop for a high-stakes RAW operation, the film solidifies its status as a major cinematic event of 2025.

Danish Pandor's breakout performance as Uzair Baloch

Danish Pandor is becoming quite popular, even though the industry is mostly interested in Ranveer Singh's undercover agent character Hamza and Akshaye Khanna's highly acclaimed portrayal of the film's adversary, Rehman Dakait. Pandor has come into the public eye thanks to his performance as the infamous Karachi mobster, Uzair Baloch, which is characterised by a combination of realism, menace, and calculation.

The actor's character is based on the cousin and enforcer of a real-life historical criminal boss in Pakistan. This character is known for his association with high levels of violence, sophisticated weaponry, and substantial political influence, which he used to appoint local law enforcement officials.

ALSO READ: Dhurandhar review: Transformational Ranveer Singh and show-stealing Akshaye Khanna drive Aditya Dhar's gripping, unflinching spy saga

Uzair Baloch's role as criminal organisation's enforcer

Uzair Baloch, the organisation's pragmatic lynchpin and merciless implementer, is Rehman Dakait's cousin and right-hand man. He is an essential lynchpin in building the criminal gang's operational framework.

Subdued danger and subtle instability, rather than overt theatrics, characterise Pandor's interpretation, which is characterised by sharp efficiency. He managed to bring humanity to this sinister persona while capturing the character's genuine grit and danger.

Contrast with Akshaye Khanna's character

Uzair Baloch, played by Pandor, is the quiet, effective executor, often seen carrying out the directives that Dakait plans, in contrast to Khanna's flashy and profoundly strategic Rehman Dakait.

The extensive 214-minute (or three hours and 34 minutes) film stars a slew of seasoned performers, including Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R. Madhavan. Although he only gets a few scenes as a minor character, Pandor plays a pivotal part in the film's climax.

Climax

To separate the crime lord, the protagonist, Hamza (Ranveer Singh), takes advantage of Dakait and Baloch's trust. Just moments before the last showdown, Hamza sends Uzair Baloch on a seemingly insignificant but crucial mission—the acquisition of a new supply of guns. Baloch is duly dispatched. This action emphasises Uzair's respected, but ultimately subservient, role. Pandor convincingly portrays the naive allegiance that Hamza uses to his advantage.

Releasing in March 2026, the sequel Dhurandhar Part 2 is planned to delve more into the shifting power dynamics introduced when the character returns to mourn his leader only to be tricked by the victorious Hamza.

Dhurandhar's impact on Danish Pandor's career trajectory

The success of Dhurandhar marks a significant milestone in Pandor's career, securing his position in high-budget film productions.

His career took off in the television industry, where he appeared in series including Agent Raghav (as Agent Rajveer) and Kitani Mohabbat Hai (as Mikhail Singhania).

Transition to OTT

Thereafter, he made the leap to the OTT realm and landed parts in shows like Sacred Games and films like 36 Days that were widely praised.

Before Dhurandhar he had roles in films like Double XL (2022) and 1920: Horrors of the Heart (2023), both of which were Bollywood features.

Pre-Dhurandhar success in historical epic Chhaava

With the premiere of the enormous historical epic Chhaava on February 14, 2025, he made his screen presence felt earlier this year. Chhaava was the historical war epic about the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and Pandor played the role of Ikhlaas Khan, a historical figure. With his large period role in one of the year's highest-grossing Hindi films, he broke into the commercial mainstream.

Moving from the period drama Chhaava to the modern, high-octane spy thriller Dhurandhar demonstrates the actor's adaptability and capacity to be part of ambitious, multi-star stories. Based on largely true events in clandestine RAW operations, Dhurandhar offers an unrivalled worldwide platform due to its sheer size, visibility, and thematic relevance.

Dhurandhar FAQs:

Q: Who is Danish Pandor, who plays Uzair Baloch in Dhurandhar?

A: Danish Pandor is an actor whose performance as the menacing Karachi gangster Uzair Baloch in the film Dhurandhar is being hailed as his breakout role. Pandor is known for transitioning from Indian television roles (like in Kitani Mohabbat Hai and Agent Raghav) and digital series (Sacred Games, 36 Days) to large-scale cinema, including the recent historical epic Chhaava (2025).

Q: What is the first-day box office collection of Dhurandhar?

A: Aditya Dhar's espionage thriller Dhurandhar opened to a monumental gross collection of ₹28 crore on its debut day, December 5, 2025. This makes it one of the biggest opening films of the year and Ranveer Singh’s highest-grossing opener to date, surpassing films like Padmaavat and Simmba.

Q: Is Uzair Baloch based on a real person?

A: The character of Uzair Baloch in Dhurandhar is loosely based on the real-life figure Uzair Jan Baloch, a notorious Pakistani crime boss and former head of the outlawed Peoples' Aman Committee from Karachi's Lyari area. The real Uzair Baloch was known for his significant political influence and involvement in organized crime, including targeted killings and extortion.

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