While Ranveer Singh may dominate the posters of Dhurandhar, it is Akshaye Khanna who has emerged as the film’s biggest talking point. In a cast stacked with powerhouse performers like Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal—both of whom deliver formidable performances—Khanna’s portrayal of the mysterious and menacing Rehman Dakait has unexpectedly stolen the spotlight.
But bringing Akshaye Khanna on board the high-octane spy actioner was no easy feat. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra recently revealed that convincing the famously selective actor took nearly a year of persistence, patience, and passion.
When Chhabra joined Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh was already locked in as the lead. In Bollywood, securing additional big names after casting a superstar is often considered difficult, if not impossible. However, Chhabra chose to challenge that unspoken industry rule. Instead of focusing on hierarchy, he treated every role—whether played by R. Madhavan or Rakesh Bedi—with equal importance.
Director Aditya Dhar was initially sceptical of Chhabra’s ambitious casting choices. When Akshaye Khanna’s name came up, doubts filled the room. But Chhabra remained confident. “I said, Akshaye paaji will do it. And then we all jumped on it,” he recalled.
Reaching out to Khanna proved to be a test of resolve. Known for guarding his privacy and carefully choosing his roles, the actor did not immediately warm to the idea. “I honestly hadn’t even watched Chhaava then,” Chhabra admitted. “When I called him, he actually scolded me. He said, ‘Paagal ho gaya hai kya?’”
One memorable character of #AkshayeKhanna besides #RehmanDakait from #Dhurandhar? pic.twitter.com/gKdvUx1gUI
— Shafiq (@shafiqulhasan81) December 10, 2025
Still, Chhabra convinced Khanna to at least hear the story. The actor agreed to meet, even offering to drive himself despite living far from the usual film industry circles. What followed was a decisive four-hour script narration with Chhabra and director Aditya Dhar.
“He sat there quietly for four hours, smoking and listening,” Chhabra said. When the narration ended, Khanna’s reaction was instant and honest. “He said, ‘F**k, it’s very good… Bada maza aayega.’”
Even then, the team waited anxiously for two days before receiving the final confirmation. The answer came in a brief phone call: “Let’s do it, bro.”
With Dhurandhar now a success, Akshaye Khanna shows no signs of slowing down. He is currently shooting for his Telugu debut, Mahakali, directed by Puja Kolluru and set in the Prashanth Varma Cinematic Universe, marking yet another bold chapter in a career defined by unconventional choices.