“This is outrageous,” wrote South African model Gabriella Demetriades, girlfriend of Arjun Rampal, reacting to a column by Shobhaa De criticising Rampal’s recent public remarks.
Rampal has been in the spotlight for his role as Major Iqbal in Dhurandhar: The Revenge, the blockbuster sequel to the 2025 hit helmed by Aditya Dhar. In the film, the actor plays a shrewd and unflinching ISI operative.
At the HELLO! Hall of Fame Awards earlier this week, Rampal spoke about the emotional weight of the role before ending his speech with “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”
The remark drew criticism from author-columnist Shobhaa De, who questioned its implications in a piece published on a digital news portal. The headline read: “Why Arjun Rampal saying ‘Bharat Maata Ki Jay’ should worry Bollywood audiences”. Her article triggered a response from Demetriades, who objected to the take in the comments section.
Speaking at the same awards event, Rampal revisited his personal memories of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, recalling how he witnessed the aftermath on his birthday. He described being immensely shaken, saying he had to stop multiple times on his way home due to nausea. When Dhar later narrated scenes inspired by the attacks, Rampal said he channelled those emotions into the film, calling it a form of personal reckoning.
On screen, his character has a chilling presence, even as he remains in constant contact with attackers during the hotel siege. As the conflict escalates, it culminates in a violent showdown where Ranveer Singh’s Hamza confronts and kills Iqbal.
The cast also includes Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun.
Demetriades, meanwhile, has been vocal in her admiration for the film. Sharing her reaction online, she described it as her favourite Hindi film so far, praising Rampal’s consistency and growth, while also lauding Dhar’s direction, Ranveer’s performance and the ensemble casting.
As of Wednesday, the film has crossed the Rs 1,000 crore mark at the global box office, with a collection of over Rs 600 crore in India.
