Not Nabeel Gabol? Pak leader who asked PM Modi for asylum inspired Dhurandhar’s Jameel Jamali

In Dhurandhar, Jamali’s daughter Yalina Jamali, played by Sara Arjun, is married to Hamza Ali Mazhari (played by Ranveer Singh). In the first film, Yalina mentions that she was born when her father was 45, and that he married her mother, who was half his age. Interestingly, according to Pakistani media reports, Altaf Hussain married when he was 48, and his wife was in her 20s.

ALSO READ | Dhurandhar 2 box office collection day 33: Ranveer Singh film records lowest haul, earns Rs 1.62 cr amid Bhooth Bangla clash

Why did everyone think it was Nabeel Gabol?

When Dhurandhar first released, the resemblance to Nabeel Gabol seemed striking enough for the comparison to start almost instantly. Gabol himself acknowledged it in multiple interviews and also criticised the portrayal.
In a viral video after the film’s release, he said, “They have shown my character as a very important one in the film, but not accurately. What they’ve depicted is very dabangg. By that, I mean they have not portrayed my role properly. They have turned Lyari into a terrorist hub.”

However, the tone shifted after Dhurandhar 2. The sequel’s climax, revealing Jamali as an Indian intelligence agent, reframed the character entirely.

Rakesh Bedi on Pak politicians who inspired his character

Through all the speculation, Rakesh Bedi has maintained that Jameel Jamali isn’t a direct lift from any one political figure.

In an interview with Lallantop, he said, “I would like to say, ‘I love you, Nabeel Gabol.’ I love you very much, and it’s a coincidence that I resemble you a little bit. But I can’t help it. Neither your father came to India, nor my father went to Pakistan. we have a slight heaviness in our bodies, which makes us look alike. I even wore similar clothes in the film, so we looked alike. Other than that, there is no similarity between me and him.”

He added, “Aditya Dhar conceived this character. There are some similarities with Nabeel Gabol because of Lyari—he represents that area and has won several elections from there. But my portrayal operates on its own level. My character is not based on Nabeel Gabol. I’ve watched many videos of his, as well as of Altaf Hussain and other politicians, and created a mix to play this character. Jameel Jamali is inspired by many such politicians in Pakistan.”

Even earlier, Bedi had hinted at drawing from real-life political figures. In a conversation with SCREEN, he said, “There’s a politician in Pakistan, whom you can spot in the political arenas and the Senate there even today. It’s their Parliament, but they call it ‘Senate’ (laughs). 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.”

Who is Altaf Hussain?

Altaf Hussain is a British-Pakistani politician and the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Born in Karachi in 1953, he has been living in exile in the United Kingdom since 1992, following a crackdown on his party.

Over the years, he has faced multiple serious allegations in Pakistan, including charges of murder, treason, and inciting violence, and has been declared a fugitive by an anti-terrorism court. In the UK, he was tried in 2022 for promoting unrest through hate speech, but was acquitted.

Accrding to Indian Express report, the MQM was also accused of harbouring secessionist ambitions and conspiring to break Karachi away from Pakistan, allegedly at the behest of India’s Research & Analysis Wing. The “Indian” origins of many of its members and supporters were used to cast suspicion on the party. Adding to this, some of its leaders had fled to India during military operations and were believed to have been in contact with Indian intelligence agencies.

In 2019, Altaf Hussain, then living in exile in the UK, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant him and his colleagues asylum, or at least financial assistance to take his case to the International Court of Justice.

“If India today, and Prime Minister Modi, allow me to come to India and provide me asylum with my colleagues, I am ready to come to India along with my colleagues, because my grandfather is buried there, my grandmother is buried there, my thousands of relatives are buried there. I want to go there, to their graves. I am a peace-loving person. I will not interfere in any politics, I promise. But just give me, along with my colleagues, a place to live in India. I request you to grant some Baloch, Sindhis whose names I give asylum as well,” Hussain said in a speech dated November 9.

Hussain married Faiza Gabol in ߑ the couple divorced in 2007 and have a daughter.

This article discusses fictional character inspirations and real-world political figures for entertainment and informational purposes; the claims and comparisons presented are based on public statements and have not been independently verified.