New Delhi: Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar has not only shattered global box office records, but the espionage thriller continues to dominate conversations internationally.
Set largely in Pakistan’s Lyari neighbourhood, the film draws inspiration from real-life events and figures. One such character is Jameel Jamali, portrayed by Rakesh Bedi, who is reportedly inspired by former Pakistani politician Nabil Gabol. Gabol has now reacted to the portrayal and expressed his displeasure.
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Pak Politician Reacts to Portrayal in Dhurandhar
Nabil Gabol, a former Member of Pakistan’s National Assembly, has also served as the Minister of State for Ports and Shipping. It has been widely speculated that Bedi’s character in Dhurandhar is based on him.
Recently, while speaking to the media, Gabol was asked whether he would approach international forums to seek a ban on the film, which has drawn criticism in Pakistan for allegedly “tarnishing the country’s image.” The former MNA responded that he does not have the financial means to do so but went on to criticise the film, particularly the depiction of his character.
The video clip begins with a reporter saying, “India mein ek film banayi hai Dhurandhar. Sunne mein aa raha hai ki aap kirdaar bhi usme.”
Reacting to this, Gabol said, “My character has been shown to be very important. But I just want to say one thing that the way my character has been shown in Dhurandhar was very bad. And bad is the way that they have not shown my role in the right way.”
(“My character was shown as very important in the film. But I just want to say that the way my character has been portrayed is not accurate. My role was meant to be daring, but it hasn’t been depicted correctly.”)
Gabol, who was born in Lyari and served as an elected member of the Sindh Provincial Assembly from 1988 to 1997, also criticized the portrayal of the locality in the film. He said, “They have tried to show Lyari as a terrorist hub. Lyari is not a terrorist hub. If any of their agents comes, they are not safe from Lyari.”
(“They have tried to show Lyari as a terrorist hub, which it is not. If their agent had come there, he would not have returned alive.”)
About Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar follows the story of an Indian spy infiltrating terror networks based in Lyari. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, and newcomer Sara Arjun in key roles.
Ranveer Singh plays Hamza Ali Mazari, an undercover Indian operative who embeds himself within Pakistan’s criminal underworld and political system. His character infiltrates a gang led by Rehman Dakait, portrayed by Akshaye Khanna.
The film ends on a cliffhanger, with the makers confirming a sequel. Dhurandhar Part 2 is scheduled to release in March 2026.
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