R. Madhavan portrays Ajit Kumar Doval in 'Dhurandhar'. Read on to know more about the Indian bureaucrat.
Aditya Dhar’s much-awaited film, Dhurandhar, hit the theatres on December 5, 2025, and opened to tremendous response. The film is loosely based on many true events and features portrayals of renowned real-life characters. The film features an ensemble cast of Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, and Akshaye Khanna.
While all the characters portrayed in the film are inspired by real people, they have drawn many similarities with them. However, it was R Madhavan who stood apart. From his first look, it was clear that Madhavan is playing the role of ‘Ajay Sanyal’, inspired by India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Kumar Doval.
When the trailer of Dhuradhar was released, people couldn’t recognise Madhavan. Even Arjun Rampal couldn’t recognise Madhavan on the set. As R Madhavan’s role as ‘Ajay Sanyal’ is gaining attention, let us read on to know more about the Indian bureaucrat.
Ajit Kumar Doval is one of the most renowned Indian bureaucrats, serving as the fifth and current National Security Advisor. Doval advises the Prime Minister’s Office on national security matters and is also the primary advisor on the National Security Council. The spymaster has served as NSA since 2014, and this is his third term.
Born in Uttarakhand in 1945, Ajit is a retired IPS officer of the Kerala cadre, starting in 1968 as the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Kottayam. Doval also served as an intelligence and law enforcement officer. Throughout his career, Doval has worked extensively in crisis management and was the youngest police officer in India to receive the Kirti Chakra.
Ajit Doval is the hero we see in films, who has actually played many important roles to safeguard his country. He is popularly known for his undercover work and was trained under M.K. Narayan, the third NSA of India. In 1988, Doval infiltrated the Golden Temple during Operation Black Thunder by posing as an ISI agent. He mapped the positions of the Khalistani separatists and conducted espionage.
Ajit Doval spent seven years as an undercover agent in Pakistan and collected information on the militant activities. He played a key role in Operation Blue Star in 1984, convincing militants in Kashmir to become counter-insurgents. During the IC-814 hijack in Kandahar in 1999, Doval played the role of one of the key negotiators in the release of the passengers. Not just this, but also between 1971 and 1999, Doval terminated 15 Indian Airline hijackings.
In 2014, when 46 Indian nurses were trapped inside a hospital in Iraq, it was Ajit Doval who ensured their safe return. He flew to Iraq on a secret mission, negotiated with the Iraqi government, and brought back the Indian nurses to their homeland.
Ajit Doval has been part of the Mizo Insurgency in 1970, the Sikkim Merger in 1975, and many other operations. Do you know he is the man behind the popular 2016 surgical strike and February 2019 Balakot airstrikes? Yes, the popular airstrikes were carried out under the spymaster's instructions.
Doval also helped to end the Doklam stand-off and took important measures to tackle the insurgency in the Northeast. When Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani military, it was Ajit Doval who initiated talks with the US Secretary of State for the release of the Indian pilot.
In 2025, when India and Pakistan had a conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack, Ajit Doval played a poignant role in India’s strategic response. He coordinated Operation Sindoor, with airstrikes on military camps located in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
Did you know R Madhavan’s role in Dhurandhar was inspired by Ajit Kumar Doval?
Also Read: Michael Annett Passed Away At The Age Of 39, A Look At His Massive Net Worth And Private Dating Life