Rishabh Sawhney reveals he trained with International action directors for Nagabandham: “Safety was the priority”

The actor worked with Kecha Khamphakdee and Vlad Rimburg to prepare for the close-combat and sword-fighting sequences in the film.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

August 10, 2026 - 6:57 PM IST

Rishabh Sawhney has opened up about the preparation that went into his double role in Nagabandham. The actor, who played Ali and Ahmad Shah Abdali in the film, revealed that he trained with two international action directors while preparing for the demanding combat sequences.

Rishabh Sawhney reveals he trained with International action directors for Nagabandham: “Safety was the priority”

Rishabh, who previously gained attention for his portrayal of Azhar Akhtar in Fighter, took on two distinctly different characters in Nagabandham. While the performances required him to differentiate their personalities and physicality, the film’s action sequences also involved extensive preparation.

Speaking about the action training, Rishabh revealed that the film brought together international and Indian action specialists, with the former focusing on different forms of combat. "We had two action directors, international action directors on this film. One was for the close combat and the other was for the sword fighting and both of them were fab to learn from because they were precise with their stuff. Even the Indian action masters were brilliant but all of them have different specialities. The thing that I learnt most from them was safety. Like you always have to keep safety a priority which both of them really prioritised during the shoots. So Kecha Khamphakdee and Vlad Rimburg, these are the two we worked with," he said.

Kecha Khamphakdee and Vlad Rimburg were brought on board for their respective expertise in close combat and sword fighting. According to Rishabh, working with action directors with different specialities helped him understand the technical aspects of the sequences, with safety being a key part of the training and filming process.

The physical preparation was particularly important for Rishabh as he had to portray two characters with contrasting personalities and styles. Ali’s grounded intensity and Ahmad Shah Abdali’s commanding presence required him to approach the action and physical performance differently.

Nagabandham also marked another step in Rishabh Sawhney’s career following his role as Azhar Akhtar in Fighter. His double performance in the film required him to balance the acting demands of two characters with the physical requirements of the action sequences.

The actor’s comments offer a glimpse into the preparation behind the combat-heavy portions of Nagabandham, particularly the training involved in bringing its close-combat and sword-fighting sequences to the screen.

Also Read: Rishabh Sawhney’s dual performance stands out in Nagabandham