Mustafa Ahmed has risen to fame with his role as 'Rizwan' in 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge'. However, did you know that his journey to fame has been anything but easy?
Mustafa Ahmed has been making headlines for his role as 'Rizwan' in the film, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, and has carved a unique path from fitness training to acting. In the film, he portrays the role of 'Hamza's' trusted aide, adding depth to the story alongside Ranveer Singh, who essays the role of 'Hamza Ali Mazari'.
However, his journey has not been as easy as one would believe. Mustafa Ahmed started his career as a fitness trainer, going through several ups and downs before landing his first role. So, as he now shines in the role of 'Rizwan', let's take a quick look at how he struggled through school and career, only to have a letter change his life.
Mustafa Ahmed has been garnering immense praise for his role as 'Rizwan', 'Hamza Ali Mazari's' right-hand man in Dhurandhar: The Revenge. However, long before the spotlight found him, he was earning just Rs. 10,000 a month as a gym trainer in Delhi's Janakpuri. Yes! Mustafa's journey was not conventional; he wasn't a prodigy people expected to "make it", he was more like Taare Zameen Par's 'Ishaan', who struggled with Dyslexia and eventually dropped out of formal education. Mustafa recalled his struggle with dyslexia on Jag Of All Trades podcast and shared:
"I was not a bright kid. I was dyslexic and came from an Afghan background. But I was always physical—I was good at sports, and picked up dancing naturally. Anything that involved using my body, I was good at it."
While Mustafa Ahmed's life didn't exactly start out as rainbows and sunshine, an incident that happened when he was 21 changed the course of his life. Mustafa was earning Rs. 1 lakh a month as the youngest team leader at a call centre in 2001. However, while training at a gym, he noticed a woman in her 40s being ignored by a trainer. He stepped in to help her, unaware that it would alter the course of his life. On the Alpha Coach podcast, he recalled:
"A couple of months later, she handed me an envelope and asked me to read it at home. It scared me. But in that letter, she wrote that working out had brought the spark back into her marriage. She told me this was my life calling—and not following it would be criminal."
The words stayed with Mustafa Ahmed, who quit his high-paying job. "My manager called me crazy", he said. His mother, too, stopped speaking to him for leaving a stable career, especially after he had already discontinued his studies. Mustafa returned to take a job at a West Delhi gym for Rs. 10,000 a month, waking up at 4 am every day for many years. However, soon after, during a visit to a Fitness First in Connaught Place, his trajectory changed again. Despite having no formal qualifications, his honesty and passion landed him a job, which offered him Rs. 18,000 a month and an additional Rs. 600 per session, which was split between the establishment and him.
Following his deal with the establishment, Mustafa spent months working relentlessly, and within three months, he became the No 1 trainer for Fitness First in Asia. He was conducting up to 14 sessions a day, six days a week. The fitness coach was clocking nearly 400 hours a month and earning over Rs. 1.4 lakh. By 2009, he had proven his worth. As his career grew, so did his ambitions, and soon enough, he was challenging the international stages, asking why Indian trainers were not given the same platforms.
Another big break came when Mustafa's wife, Radhika, started a healthy baking venture, which led them to a chance connection with a celebrity trainer, who turned out to be associated with Hrithik Roshan. One message later, and after weeks of uncertainty, Mustafa finally got a call that would lead him to the next chapter of his life. He recalled, "Hrithik texted saying he was looking for someone. We met, discussed his injuries and training, and two days later, he asked if I could train him. Just like that, he became my first client in 2015."
After spending years as a trainer and building his credentials there, Mustafa decided to switch careers again. While he hasn't revealed how he first met director, Aditya Dhar, Mustafa Ahmed has often credited him for pushing him into this new world. However, this change was not easy for him, as he often saw himself as the 'ugly duckling' of his family. Nonetheless, he soon found that he could grab viewers' attention because of his appearance and build. In an emotional note in 2025, Mustafa thanked Aditya for pushing him and penned:
"'Main hoon na. Tu kar.' He would say this whenever I doubted myself. ‘Tu theek hai na’ when I wasn’t okay. 'Tu khush hai na' when I got emotional. Aditya Dhar, you took me on a journey I never imagined. You saw in me what I didn’t know existed. But most importantly, you gave me your friendship and love—and for that, you have my loyalty for life."
When Dhurandhar was released on December 5, 2025, Mustafa Ahmed reflected on his journey in a social media post. He shared that he was not a trained actor, but he finally was where he belonged. He added, "The love I have received only reinforces that belief—that if you’re honest to your craft and remain a student, you can achieve anything." His role in the franchise is that of 'Rizwan', an RAW agent who infiltrates 'Arshad Pappu's' gang. Introduced to 'Hamza' by 'Mohammad Aalam' in the prequel, 'Rizwan' evolves into 'Hamza's' trusted right-hand man in the sequel and becomes a fan favourite with his impeccable portrayal.
What are your thoughts on Mustafa Ahmed's journey? Let us know.
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