Dhurandhar: Mukesh Chhabra reveals how Aditya Dhar handled multiple rejections, ‘It hurts because…’

Celebrated casting director Mukesh Chhabra has revealed that several actors turned down the role of Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar. Then, it landed in Akshaye Khanna’s lap. And, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Speaking about the casting process, Chhabra said two to three actors had initially refused a key role. He chose not to name them but noted that some later reached out. They expressed regret over their decision. According to him, one actor was from the South film industry, while the other two were from Bollywood.

The actors reportedly declined the role, citing concerns about the film being an ensemble project. Chhabra called their reasoning “strange”.

“They gave very strange logic. They said it was an ensemble cast. And, this is really Ranveer’s film. Aditya Dhar, being a cool guy, said, ‘No problem’.

"He does not feel bad for long,” Chhabra told Bollywood Hungama.

“He moves on very quickly from negative thoughts. Of course, it hurts a little when you have thought so much before calling someone, and then they say no. It hurts because you imagine and calculate so much before making that call,” he said.

Chhabra said the refusals came as a surprise, particularly as Dhar was returning to direction after a gap of seven years. According to Chhabra, while rejection is part of the process, it can still be difficult when expectations are high.

Following the rejections, the team considered Akshaye Khanna for the role. Initially unsure whether the actor would accept, Chhabra decided to approach him directly. According to him, 90s actors are often more accessible. They are approachable without the need for middlemen.

Khanna came for the narration alone and said, “It’s a fantastic script. Send it over to me.”

The next morning, Akshaye Khanna said yes.

Dhurandhar casting

Mukesh Chhabra shared that Ranveer Singh was the first actor to come on board for Dhurandhar. He also shared how actors like R Madhavan and Sanjay Dutt had come on board through quick, instinct-driven decisions. According to the casting director, Madhavan was the first choice for Ajay Sanyal. He was the only actor considered initially.

Chhabra told Dhar and went directly to Mehboob Studio, where Madhavan was filming for De De Pyaar De 2

. The narration happened on the spot, and Madhavan agreed the same day, calling the script “fantastic”.

According to Chhabra, such quick decisions reflect conviction and trust in the script. He believes that actors who take their own decisions tend to make better choices. Too many external influences often lead to confusion.

Many actors today do not attend narrations personally, Chhabra revealed. He thinks is not the right approach.

Mukesh Chhabra revealed that Sanjay Dutt also attended the narration alone, driving himself to the meeting. Chhabra contacted him directly, and the two spoke before Dutt agreed to hear the script.

After the narration, Dutt gave his nod almost immediately. Arjun Rampal joined the narration via video call from Goa and also came on board.

Chhabra admitted that some actors initially had doubts as their roles appeared small on paper due to limited shooting days. However, he credited Dhar’s vision for giving each character strong presence, entry and impact.

“Look at Sanjay Dutt’s desert entry with “Hawa Hawa” playing. Who thinks like that?” he said.