Dhurandhar: The Revenge has taken the box office by storm with record-breaking first-day collections, and the numbers are only increasing. However, the Aditya Dhar-directed franchise has created a buzz outside the box office as well. While some have labelled the film as “propaganda”, others have formulated theories of real-life personalities inspiring its roles. Among these, one character that has particularly grabbed attention is the Rakesh Bedi played ‘Jameel Jamali’, who many believe is inspired by Pakistani politician Nabeel Gabol.
More interestingly, Gabol had earlier acknowledged this connection. But the real twist now is that the same person who once seemed comfortable being linked to the character is no longer on the same page after the sequel hit the theatres.
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Who is Nabeel Gabol?
Nabeel Gabol is a veteran Pakistani politician who currently serves as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from NA-239 Karachi South-I for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). He has also represented Lyari for the PPP for a long time. He was born and raised in Lyari, Karachi.
Gabol has also been the Minister of State for Ports and Shipping between 2008 and 2011. He became the youngest Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly from 1993 to 1996. Besides, his political journey also includes a brief stint with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) between 2013 and 2017.
What did Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge change?
Gabol welcomed all the comparisons after the release of the first part of Dhurandhar. In fact, he openly claimed that Jameel Jamali was based on him. Across TV debates, Gabol spoke about it frequently and owned the character across TV debates to media appearances.
Things have expectedly taken a sharp turn after the release of the second film, in which the character is portrayed as an Indian spy. Gabol has gone quiet and is keeping a low profile.
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What does Rakesh Bedi have to say?
Rakesh Bedi has addressed the media on this ongoing claim. “I didn’t portray him at all. I don’t understand why he is identifying himself with the character. I simply adopted a particular look for the role. Now, if someone feels that my appearance resembles his, what can I really do about it? It’s not my fault," he said, speaking to India Today. “Perhaps because of the wig and styling, he might feel there is a slight resemblance. That’s his interpretation. But there isn’t much we can do about that," Bedi added.
