Dhurandhar: The Revenge continues its strong box office run, gathering momentum through strong word-of-mouth. If Ranveer Singh’s fiery dual avatar as Jaskirat Singh Rangi and Hamza is garnering attention, Arjun Rampal as the film’s formidable antagonist is a standout, too. As Major Iqbal, he adds understated menace to villainy, maintaining that vibe from the first film of the franchise, Dhurandhar.<\/p>\n
Dhurandhar 2 brings back Aditya Dhar as director, and the film has not only opened to impressive numbers but is holding steady at the global box office, with audiences and critics alike praising the film’s scale, storytelling, and performances. A substantial part of the spotlight right now is on Rampal, whose layered portrayal has struck a chord with the public. The actor himself, however, appears to be taking it all in with quiet disbelief.<\/p>\n
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Rampal reflects on his standout role<\/h3>\n
\u201cThank you. I don\u2019t even know what to do. I\u2019m still kind of processing it and just absorbing it,\u201d he tells India Today. Widely regarded as one of his finest performances in recent years, Rampal is quick to deflect individual credit, framing his work as a product of collaboration rather than personal brilliance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m as good as my directors, I guess,\u201d he says when asked how he is so good at being a baddie on-screen.<\/p>\n
![\"Instagram\/@arjunrampal\"](\"https:\/\/akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com\/indiatoday\/inline-images\/Dearest%20Boya%2C%20One%20thing%20is%20for%20sure%2C%20no%20one%20was%20ready%20for%20you%21%21%21%21%20Happiest%20birthday%20my%20little%20br.jpg?VersionId=hh9Vch0ZXF6QBcwP9Rz38ezGzmQdzNk3&size=750:*\"\/ "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\nInstagram\/@arjunrampal\n<\/p>\n
Prioritising film over individual praise<\/h3>\n
He expands on that thought, underlining just how demanding the role was and how crucial the creative team proved in shaping it. \u201cI think it\u2019s a very challenging part, and if it wasn\u2019t for Aditya Dhar and our DOP Vikash and Ojas, I don\u2019t think I would have gotten there.\u201d<\/p>\n
That collaborative effort is evident on screen. Dhurandhar 2 builds its tension not just through narrative stakes but through visual intensity and performance detail.<\/p>\n
For Rampal, however, the film\u2019s overall impact matters more than individual applause.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I always believe that film works and everything works and, for me, that\u2019s the most important thing. I think about what Dhurandar has done, and I\u2019m just very grateful that I\u2019ve been a part of it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The film\u2019s commercial trajectory reflects that sentiment. Strong openings, consistent occupancy through the extended opening weekend, and rising footfalls in key markets suggest that Dhurandhar 2 is on track to emerge as one of Bollywood’s most successful releases this year.<\/p>\n
A gritty physical transformation<\/h3>\n
What has also caught attention is Rampal\u2019s physical transformation. Long regarded as one of the industry\u2019s most striking leading men, the actor leans into a far grittier, stripped-down avatar here.<\/p>\n
When asked what it takes for an actor to embody that transformation, he mentions, \u201c(It lies) Just in being real and being honest with your character, I guess. The way you look is the way you look. And the way you\u2019ve got to make a character look, for it to be believable. You know, you\u2019ve got to go through that. So that\u2019s part of my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Instagram\/@arjunrampal\"](\"https:\/\/akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com\/indiatoday\/inline-images\/Arjun%20Rampal.jpg?VersionId=41EZ1wmsqldksOuyaPRJgQe5ovjlyecE&size=750:*\"\/ "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\n![\"Instagram\/@arjunrampal\"](\"https:\/\/akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com\/indiatoday\/inline-images\/Arjun%20Rampal%20%282%29.jpg?VersionId=gqi9Ma8mueLnWL7jkuyOCLnHiH8Zh2SI&size=750:*\"\/ "\\"\\"")
<\/div>\nInstagram\/@arjunrampal<\/p>\n
In Dhurandhar 2, the approach paid off.<\/p>\n
Rampal on witnessing 26\/11 horror<\/h3>\n
The actor, who was felicitated at India Today’s Hello! Hall of Fame Awards on Sunday in Mumbai, also recalled experiencing the horrors of the 26\/11 attacks<\/a> first-hand in his speech.<\/p>\n November 26 is Rampal’s birthday, and the actor said he had planned to go to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Mumbai, one of the attacked locations on the fateful day, to celebrate his special day with friends.<\/p>\n “In 2008, during 26\/11, I was in this hotel. I had come to pick up my friends. We were on our way to the Taj Hotel because we were going to go and celebrate my birthday and 26\/11 also happened to be my birthday. One guy was getting ready. God bless him. We were at the bar, and we ordered a drink and the first bomb went off near Mahim. I heard that sound and the whole glass kind of shook and rattled, and we were like, ‘what the hell was that’?,” he said.<\/p>\n