In an industry where stars often chase the biggest billing, Akshaye Khanna’s Dhurandhar turn is now being viewed as the role others let slip away. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra has revealed that one South actor and two Bollywood actors passed on playing Rahman Dakait before Khanna came on board, a decision that looks even more dramatic in hindsight after the character emerged as one of the film’s biggest talking points.
The disclosure throws fresh light on the making of Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, which released in 2025 and became a blockbuster. Led by Ranveer Singh, the film pulled in more than Rs 840 crore net in India and drew attention for how effectively its ensemble was used, especially in the case of Khanna, whose menacing screen presence left a lasting mark.
Mukesh Chhabra Opens Up On The Casting Twist
Speaking in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Chhabra said the role was rejected by three actors before it reached Khanna. He did not identify them by name, but said one belonged to the South film industry while the other two were from Bollywood. Recalling the response he received, Chhabra said, “Ek actor South se thhe, aur baki do Bollywood ke thhe. They gave me a very weird logic. They said, ‘Ye ensemble cast hain.’ ‘Ye toh Ranveer ki picture hain.’ I said okay leave, and Aditya [Dhar] is a cool guy and he said it is fine. He was sure about his film. I did feel bad because we think of an actor after a lot of thought.”
He added that Khanna’s reaction was completely different. Once approached, the actor agreed to hear the script and connected with it immediately. Chhabra also praised Khanna’s instinct, saying he is someone who follows his heart while choosing roles instead of getting distracted by external noise.
Why Akshaye Khanna’s Casting Ended Up Being A Win
That detail matters because Dhurandhar was built as a star-heavy action drama, and the risk with such films is often that powerful supporting parts get lost in the scale. Khanna’s Rahman Dakait did the opposite. The performance cut through the spectacle and became one of the film’s defining elements, which in turn made Chhabra’s latest revelation far more than a passing casting anecdote. It now reads like a reminder that impact on screen can outweigh hierarchy on paper.
The film, directed, written and produced by Aditya Dhar, featured Ranveer Singh in the lead alongside R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt. But as audience conversation around the film unfolded, Khanna’s role stood out as a clear example of how a sharply written part, when matched with the right actor, can elevate an already mounted blockbuster.
Akshaye Khanna’s Recent And Upcoming Work
The actor has steadily built a strong second phase by picking high-value parts in major Hindi releases. Before Dhurandhar, he appeared in Chhaava in 2025 as Aurangzeb opposite Vicky Kaushal, adding another commanding historical role to his filmography. Earlier, he was seen in Drishyam 2 in 2022 as IG Tarun Ahlawat in the Ajay Devgn-led thriller, which emerged as a major theatrical success.
Looking ahead, Khanna is also part of Border 2, giving him another confirmed big-screen title in the pipeline. Seen together, those choices underline a clear pattern in his recent career: he may not always chase the loudest role, but he continues to turn crucial supporting parts into events of their own.
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