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Akshaye Khanna Initially Rejected Dhurandhar Villain Role: "Paagal hogaya hai kya tu?"
M
Moneycontrol•21-09-2026, 14:47
Akshaye Khanna Initially Rejected Dhurandhar Villain Role: "Paagal hogaya hai kya tu?"
- •Casting director Mukesh Chhabra revealed Akshaye Khanna's initial reluctance to play Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar, questioning, "Paagal hogaya hai kya tu? Villain kyu karunga main?"
- •Akshaye Khanna's stance changed quickly after hearing the story narration for just five minutes, leading him to accept the role the same day.
- •Mukesh Chhabra was confident Akshaye would excel, stating the actor added his unique touch to Aditya Dhar's writing and found the right opportunity.
- •The role of Rehman Dakait was previously rejected by two to three major stars who cited concerns about the ensemble cast and director Aditya Dhar's seven-year hiatus since Uri.
- •Mukesh Chhabra believes actors miss out on great roles when they prioritize calculations over their artistic instincts.
Key Questions Answered
When casting director Mukesh Chhabra first approached Akshaye Khanna with the script, the actor reacted with disbelief and asked, 'Paagal hogaya hai kya tu? Villain kyu karunga main?' However, after listening to the story for just five minutes, he called it fantastic and agreed to do it the same day.
According to casting director Mukesh Chhabra, two or three major stars turned down the antagonist role because they were concerned about the ensemble cast format and felt the film was centered around Ranveer Singh, fearing their own screen time and presence would be overshadowed.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, the first instalment of Dhurandhar was released in December 2025, followed by the arrival of the second part in March 2026.
