Actor Arjun Rampal has linked the success of the film Dhurandhar 2 to his personal emotional response to the 26/11 attacks.
The actor's comments highlight the intersection of cinema and national trauma in India, where filmmakers often use high-profile projects to process historical events.
During a speech at the Hello! Hall of Fame Awards on March 22, 2024 [2], Rampal said the film served as his personal revenge for the attacks that occurred on November 26, 2008 [1]. He spoke of the emotional weight the project carried and how it connected to his own experiences witnessing the events of that day.
In a separate interview published March 30, 2024 [3], Rampal addressed the box-office success of the movie. He urged his fans to maintain a mindset of patience, perseverance, and passion to achieve their own goals. He said these qualities were essential for navigating the challenges of a professional career in the arts.
Rampal also used the opportunity to praise his co-star, Ranveer Singh. In a heartfelt note accompanied by unseen images from the set, he referred to Singh as a “babbar sher” — a term meaning lion — to describe the actor's performance and presence during the production [3].
The actor's reflections on the film's reception emphasize a blend of professional triumph and personal closure. By framing the movie as a form of retribution for the 2008 attacks, Rampal positioned the commercial success of the film as a symbolic victory.
“the film was his personal revenge for the 26/11 attacks”
Rampal's framing of a commercial film as 'revenge' for the 2008 Mumbai attacks reflects a broader trend in Indian cinema where patriotic narratives are used to achieve both critical and commercial success. By tying his professional achievement to a national tragedy, the actor aligns the film's box-office performance with a sense of collective emotional justice.
