Aditya Dhar’s action-drama Dhurandhar continues its strong run at the box office, breaking multiple records and earning widespread appreciation for its performances. Among the film’s most talked-about turns is Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Rehman Dakait, which has generated significant buzz across social media platforms. From praise for his screen presence to the viral song ‘FA9LA’ dance, audiences have responded strongly to his performance.

Mukesh Chhabra on Akshaye Khanna’s dedication, viral performance and the making of Dhurandhar: “He is a man of his word” : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama

Mukesh Chhabra on Akshaye Khanna’s dedication, viral performance and the making of Dhurandhar: “He is a man of his word”

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra recently spoke to SCREEN and reflected on Akshaye Khanna’s dedication to his work and the process behind casting him in the film.

Speaking about the actor’s impact, Mukesh said, “He is baap! Now he has literally taken over the internet. The social media belongs to Akshaye Khanna since the time the film has released. Wherever you go, be it Facebook, Instagram, or X, all you see is him on your timeline. People are only talking about his entry and the way he has performed overall. And he had no idea it would become so big because he is just too focused on his work.”

Recalling how the casting came together, Chhabra shared that several names were initially considered before they finalised Akshaye. “We jotted down lots of names for his role and then we went about shortlisting, where we zeroed in on his name. Then he came for the narration, and he came alone, which was the beautiful part. And after it ended, he looked at me, and I looked at him, and he said, ‘Loved it, maza aa gaya yaar’ (I loved it, I really enjoyed it, man).”

Mukesh further highlighted Akshaye’s professionalism and reliability, saying, “He says, ‘Aaj main padh leta hoon raat mein jaakar phir’ (I’ll read it tonight and get back to you). And he is not one of those guys who says ‘aaj padh leta hoon’ (I’ll read it today) and then ghosts you. He is a man of his word. That’s the best part about him—that he takes every single decision on his own.”

Another casting choice that drew strong attention was Rakesh Bedi, who played the politician Jameel Jamali in the film. Bedi’s performance has received considerable appreciation from both audiences and industry insiders. Speaking about the response, Chhabra said, “Almost every producer, director, or actor I know is taking his number from me and congratulating him. Some are even planning to cast him, and I’m so happy for him. I think he completely reinvented himself in this film, especially in the way he performed. He actually added his own humour to the character; it was never in the script.”

Mukesh added that Bedi actively collaborated with director Aditya Dhar to shape the role further. “I think he spoke to Aditya and said, ‘I want to add another layer to this.’ He’s a great actor, and when actors improvise, they always come up with new ideas. And Aditya is extremely collaborative. There’s no barrier with him; you can communicate freely and really speak your heart out.”

Sharing details of his first conversation with Rakesh Bedi, Mukesh concluded, “When I called Rakesh ji, I just told him, ‘It’s a very interesting character, you haven’t done anything like this, please do it.’ And he immediately responded, ‘Beta, main trust karta hoon tujhe, let’s do it’ (Son, I trust you, let’s do it).”

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