Mon Mar 23 10:16:06 UTC 2026: ### Arjun Rampal’s ‘Revenge’: A Birthday Marred by Terror Finds Catharsis in Blockbuster Role
The Story:
Actor Arjun Rampal found an unexpected and deeply personal connection to the blockbuster spy thriller Dhurandhar. On his 36th birthday in 2008, Rampal was celebrating with friends in Mumbai when the 26/11 terror attacks began. The experience profoundly affected him, and years later, he channeled that trauma into his role as Major Iqbal, a fictional ISI chief and mastermind behind the attacks, in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar films. Rampal sees the role as a form of “revenge” for the horrors he witnessed on that fateful day.
Key Points:
- Arjun Rampal was celebrating his 36th birthday at a Mumbai hotel when the 26/11 terror attacks began.
- He described the experience as traumatizing, having to stop multiple times on his drive home the next day due to feeling sick.
- Rampal plays Major Iqbal in Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2, a character who masterminds the 26/11 attacks.
- He views the role as his “revenge” for the attacks that disrupted his birthday and traumatized him.
- Dhurandhar 2 has become the fastest Hindi film to cross Rs 400 crore domestically and Rs 700 crore worldwide.
- Ranveer Singh plays a key role in the Dhurandhar franchise as an Indian spy.
Key Takeaways:
- Personal experiences can profoundly influence an actor’s choices and performance.
- The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks continue to resonate deeply within Indian society, serving as a backdrop for artistic expression and catharsis.
- The success of Dhurandhar suggests a public interest in narratives that address and confront the events of 26/11.
- The film industry is increasingly exploring themes of national security and revenge in the context of historical events.
First Piper 