In Bollywood, the name Mustafa Ahmed has always been synonymous with elite fitness. Fitness coach to the stars, Mustafa has spent years training and transforming Hrithik Roshan, Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh and Yami Gautam. After the huge success of the movie Dhurandhar: The Revenge, Mustafa has moved from being a fitness coach to a movie star.
Recently, he played the role of a spy named Rizwan, alongside Ranveer. But how did he enter Bollywood? How did he get the opportunity to train celebrities like Hrithik and Ranveer?
How did Mustafa Ahmed enter Bollywood?
Speaking candidly on the ‘Jag Of All Trades’ podcast on March 13, Mustafa shared that his entry into Bollywood’s inner circle happened in 2015 when Hrithik Roshan reached out to him. “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,” Mustafa recalled.
His partnership with Ranveer Singh became one of his most famous professional bonds. During the podcast, he revealed that he was the ‘architect’ behind Ranveer’s legendary ‘beast mode’ look for Padmaavat. More recently, he was the one pushing Ranveer through gruelling 4:00am sessions to get him in peak condition for his role as the spy Hamza in the Dhurandhar franchise.
‘Main hoon na. Tu kar’
While Mustafa was busy training Ranveer on the sets of Dhurandhar, director Aditya Dhar saw something in him that went beyond fitness. Dhar offered him the role of Rizwan, the right-hand man to Ranveer’s character.
The transition wasn’t easy for Mustafa, who admitted to feeling like an ‘ugly duckling’ growing up. Doubts often crept in on the film set. However, Mustafa credited Aditya Dhar for being his pillar of support. In an emotional note shared on his Instagram, Mustafa recalled Dhar’s constant reassurance, ‘Main hoon na. Tu kar’ (I am here. You just do it).”
On his first day of shooting, Mustafa’s internal monologue was a mix of nerves and discipline. “It’s time. Breathe. Control the chaos. And don’t mess this up,” he told himself.
Today, as Dhurandhar 2 shatters records, the bond between Ranveer and Mustafa is being praised for its authenticity. It’s a bond built over years of heavy lifting and mutual respect.