Actor Saksham Dayma, who is currently seen in Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer ‘Daayra’, has been receiving attention for his portrayal of Inspector Ibrahim Ansari. Known for his work in ‘Force’, and ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’, Dayma says playing Ibrahim required him to step into the mindset of a police officer with a strong and complicated idea of justice.

Describing his character, Saksham says, “Ibrahim is deeply committed to his team and has complete faith in DCP Raman Kumar. He is a trustworthy and dependable officer who strongly believes in justice. Given the brutality of the crime, he believes that when the evidence is clear and the accused poses a serious threat, an encounter can sometimes feel like a more immediate form of justice. What makes him interesting is that he isn't driven by revenge; he genuinely believes he is doing his duty and protecting society.”

For Saksham, the challenge was to portray Ibrahim without judging his beliefs. “As an actor, I may have my own thoughts about encounters, but while playing Ibrahim, I couldn't judge him. I had to completely understand his point of view and believe in his decisions. I also consciously avoided making him loud or overly aggressive. The conflict is more internal, and finding those quieter moments was challenging but exciting,” he shares.

Working with director Meghna Gulzar was another significant experience for the actor. He recalls being on the same page with her about not making Ibrahim a stereotypical police officer. “When I met Meghna ma’am for the first time, she never wanted Ibrahim to be a typical police officer, and that was exactly how I had imagined him too. We immediately connected on that thought. She is extremely well researched and knows exactly what she wants, but she also gives actors the space to discover their characters,” he says.

Saksham further adds, “She would focus on small details—how Ibrahim looks at someone, when he chooses to remain silent or how he reacts rather than responds. She never spoon-fed the emotions. She gave me the context and trusted me to find my own way into the scene. One of my biggest learnings from her was that sometimes doing less can communicate much more.”