Rohan Umak
Dhurandhar Rahman Dakait role: Actor Akshaye Khanna’s chilling portrayal of Rahman Dakait in spy-thriller, Dhurandhar has earned him widespread acclaim and praise, but the role nearly went to some else earlier. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra revealed on Friday that three actors, including one from the South film industry, and two from Bollywood, turned down the part before Khanna took it up.
Speaking in a recent interview, Chhabra said the actors declined the role citing concerns over the film featuring an ensemble cast, led by Ranveer Singh. He said, “They told me it’s an ensemble cast and essentially Ranveer’s film,” adding that he found the reasoning implausible, but respected their decision. He further noted that director Aditya Dhar remained unfazed and confident about his vision.
Dhurandhar Rahman Dakait role: Akshaye Khanna readily agreed
Chhabra went on to say that after rejections from the aforesaid stars, he approached Khanna, who responded almost immediately. After hearing the narration, the actor agreed to take on the role within a day, as per Chhabra. He also praised Khanna’s instincts, saying that the actor makes decisions independently, without being swayed by external influences. Khanna’s performance has since been widely commended for its intensity and nuance, emerging as one of the key highlights of the first instalment of Dhurandhar franchise.
Dhurandhar set against real-world backdrop
Dhurandhar, a 2025 release, is set in Karachi’s Lyari, an area historically associated with gang conflicts. It explores covert intelligence operations intertwined with major geopolitical events, including the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The film also featured R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi in pivotal roles.
Sequel expands the narrative
The film’s sequel, Dhurandhar 2, released on March 19, 2025, delves deeper into the origins of Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza aka Jaskirat Singh Rangi, while expanding the narrative arc. It explores his rise within Lyari’s power structure and his mission to dismantle a terror network posing a threat to India. As of Friday, the sequel has crossed the Rs 1500 crore mark worldwide, and has emerged as the fastest film to achieve the feat.
