Dhurandhar actors Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, playing Pakistani roles, cried in real life after finishing the 26/11 scene. Madhavan shares how he knew the movie was special

Dhurandhar released last year and is still running in theatres as well as on OTT despite several major releases. The film has emerged as India’s highest-grossing movie of 2025 and shattered multiple box office records. Directed by Aditya Dhar, one of the most talked-about scenes in the film recreates the terrifying night of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Recently, R. Madhavan opened up about what it was like shooting that emotionally charged sequence, which was inspired by real-life events.

The film, headlined by Ranveer Singh, has been praised for its gripping storytelling and intense performances. But according to Madhavan, it was during the filming of the 26/11 sequence that he realised the team was part of something truly special.

Madhavan recalls Dhurandhar actors cried after 26/11 shoot

In a recent conversation with Sonia Shenoy on her YouTube channel, Madhavan described the atmosphere on set while shooting the scene. Because, what happened next, however, left a lasting impression on him.
Madhavan revealed that actors Akshaye Khanna and Arjun Rampal, who were portraying Pakistani characters in the film, had to perform a scene where their characters were seen celebrating the attack. Even though they were simply playing roles, the weight of the moment hit them hard once the cameras stopped rolling.
The actor shared, “After that scene ended, they broke down completely. They cried uncontrollably. It wasn’t just acting for them. They have lived through those times. They have seen real incidents like that. It brought back memories. That’s when I realised this was a very special film.”
The scene R. Madhavan mentioned is about Hamza Ali Mazari, played by Ranveer Singh, who was on a secret mission to collect information and expose a terrorist network in Lyari. To do this, he joins the gang of Rehman Dakait, played by Akshaye Khanna, and pretends to be one of them.Later, the character of Major Iqbal, ISI, played by Arjun Rampal, is introduced. In a powerful scene showing the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the ISI officer and the gangster are seen celebrating the tragedy with their team. Hamza is present with them as part of his undercover role. Even though he has to act normal, he is clearly disturbed and shaken by what is happening in Mumbai, struggling to hide his emotions.

Recently, Raveena Tandon also lauded the director for bringing this story to life and said ‘sorry’ to his wife-actress Yami Gautam. Talking to Zoom, she said, “I am the biggest fan of your husband. You have to share my attention with your husband because I think he is completely it.’ He completely brought back what was missing. The audience got satisfaction after seeing films like Pushpa, KGF, Dhurandhar, and more. They felt like the hero was looking like a hero. It is coming back to your country, its problems and dealing with them. Hero is coming out as a hero.”

More about Dhurandhar

Beyond its emotional depth, Dhurandhar has also created history at the box office. Released on December 5, 2025, the film completed 75-day theatrical run by February 17, even after premiering on Netflix nearly two months later. Despite its digital availability, audiences continued to flock to cinemas.

The film closed its domestic run at an impressive Rs 894.49 crore net. In doing so, it became the first Bollywood film to cross the Rs 800 crore mark, the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, and the third highest-grossing Indian film domestically after Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Globally, Dhurandhar amassed Rs 1,354.84 crore, including Rs 299.35 crore from overseas markets, making it the second biggest Bollywood grosser worldwide after Dangal. Now, Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge will hit the theatres on March 19, 2026. The movie will clash with Yash’s Toxic at the box office.