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Former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan Nabil Gabol and (R) Rakesh Bedi as Jameel Jamali in Dhurandhar. (Credit: Facebook/@nabeel.gabol, Instagram/@officialjiostudios
Although it’s been over a fortnight since director Aditya Dhar’s Ranveer Singh-starrer Dhurandhar hit the screens, the spy actioner remains a hot topic. While some have praised it for its technical prowess and sharp performances, many others have slammed the film, arguing that it spreads hateful propaganda and bigotry. Meanwhile, Nabil Gabol, a politician and former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, has now stepped forward to criticise the film, particularly for its allegedly inaccurate portrayal of the character based on him.
For the unversed, the character of Jameel Jamali (played by veteran actor Rakesh Bedi) is said to be based on Gabol, a leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) who also served as Minister of State for Ports and Shipping from 2008 to 2011. “Jo mera role dikhaya gaya hai, mera role bahut dabbang tha, or dabbang iss tareeke se tha ki inhone mere role ko sahi tareeke se nahi dikhaya (I was very audacious. But they haven’t shown me the way I was),” he reportedly said during a conversation with local media.
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Gabol added, “Inhone koshish kari hai Lyari ko terrorist hub dikhane ki, Lyari koi terrorist hub nahi hai. Agar inka koi agent aa jata toh woh zinda-salammat Lyari se nahi jata (They have tried to show Lyari as a terrorist hub, which it is not. And if their agent had been there, he would not have gone back alive from Lyari).” When asked whether he would push for an international ban on the film, Gabol said he doesn’t have the financial resources to do so.
In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, actor Rakesh Bedi himself admitted that the character of Jamali was based on a real-life politician, but he refrained from naming who. “Yes, I watched a lot of his visuals, body language, and speeches. I’ve picked up whatever I could within the framework of our story. He’s like a fox. Come what may, he’ll remain in power irrespective 0f which government is in power. There are some people like that in India as well, who know how to remain in power by hook or by crook,” he said.
Watch SCREEN’s exclusive interview with Dhurandhar star Rakesh Bedi here:
Also starring Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun in key roles, Dhurandhar is produced jointly by Jyoti Deshpande’s Jio Studios and Aditya and Lokesh Dhar’s B62 Studio. While its cinematography is handled by Vikash Nowlakha, and edited by Shivkumar V Panicker, Dhurandhar’s music has been crafted by Shashwat Sachdev.
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