Akshaye Khanna Wasn’t First Choice for ‘Dhurandhar 2’, 3 Stars Rejected Role Before Him
Akshaye Khanna was not the first choice for Dhurandhar: Dhurandhar has become one of Bollywood's blockbusters. People are loving every character in it. Akshaye Khanna played the role of Rehman the Dacoit in the first installment, which was well-received. Now, casting director Mukesh Chhabra has made a significant revelation, revealing that three actors had turned down the role.
The movies Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2 have proved to be successful in the box office. This movie, directed by Aditya Dhar, has broken box office records. However, it should be noted that Akshaye Khanna was not initially the favorite for the role of the most powerful villain, Rehman the dacoit. According to casting director Mukesh Chhabra, there had been three Bollywood heroes who rejected this character in this film.
Mukesh Chhabra told in an interview that he had tried to invite three actors: two Bollywood and one from the South, for the role of Rahman Dacoit. According to Mukesh, "One actor said that the film already had a large cast, so he didn't want to be part of the crowd. Another argued that it was entirely Ranveer Singh's film, so what footage would he get in it?"
After three rejections, the team approached Akshay Khanna. Speaking about Akshay, Mukesh Chhabra said, "Akshay is one of those actors who listens to his heart. As soon as he heard the script, he loved it and said yes to the film within just 24 hours. Akshay's special quality is that he trusts his own instincts rather than the opinions of others around him." Today, after watching the film, everyone agrees that Akshay Khanna breathed life into this character in a way that hardly anyone else could have done.
Not only was Rehman the dacoit, but casting the character of 'Yalina' in the film was also quite challenging. Mukesh explained that he received countless recommendations for the role, but director Aditya Dhar wanted a completely new face. Over 1,000 girls were auditioned to find Yalina, before finally finding the perfect one.
The 'Dhurandhar' series has shattered all previous records in Hindi cinema in terms of earnings. The first film, 'Dhurandhar', earned ₹840.20 crore in India and ₹1,307.35 crore worldwide. 'Dhurandhar 2' has gone even further. Within just 15 days, the film has collected ₹920.02 crore in India and ₹1,466.47 crore worldwide. This film has become the most successful franchise in Indian cinema.
