In a powerful and deeply personal revelation, actor Arjun Rampal shared how the trauma of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks fueled his performance in the blockbuster franchise Dhurandhar.
Speaking at the Hello! Hall of Fame Awards on Sunday, March 22, 2026, Rampal recounted the chilling coincidence of the 2008 attacks occurring on his birthday, transforming a night of celebration into a lifelong scar.
A Birthday Turned Nightmare
Rampal detailed his firsthand experience of the horror that unfolded while he was at the Four Seasons Hotel in Worli:
- The Near Miss: Rampal was preparing to head to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel to celebrate his birthday when the first explosions occurred.
- The Sound of Terror: “I heard that sound and my glass shook,” he recalled, describing the initial confusion as reports surfaced of a “gang war” before the full scale of the terrorist siege became clear.
- The Aftermath: The actor described the physical toll of the experience, admitting he had to stop his car multiple times while driving home the next morning because he felt sick from the shock.
The “Revenge” of Major Iqbal
When director Aditya Dhar approached him for the role of Major Iqbal—a cold, calculating antagonist inspired by real-world militant figures—Rampal saw it as a cathartic opportunity.
- Artistic Retribution: Rampal stated that portraying the mastermind behind the onscreen version of the attacks allowed him to finally “take his revenge” for the trauma he witnessed in 2008.
- Critically Acclaimed Performance: His portrayal of the ruthless ISI operative has been hailed as a career-best, providing a chilling foil to Ranveer Singh’s Jaskirat Singh Rangi.
Box Office Dominance
The revelation comes as Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge continues its historic run. After entering the ₹500 Crore Club worldwide on Day 3, the film reportedly recorded its biggest single-day collection yet on Sunday, driven by massive turnout across India.