Aditya Dhar's spy thriller Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released on March 19, has crossed Rs 1,500 crore worldwide, making it one of the year's biggest box office successes. But long before audiences packed theatres, the film's casting journey was anything but straightforward.
As per the report of NDTV, casting director Mukesh Chhabra, speaking to Bollywood Hungama, revealed that assembling the film's ensemble was a two-year effort beginning in early 2024. "I was narrated the story for four hours. After that, I was in shock. I didn't even move or take a break," he recalled. "I got scared initially, even after casting for so many films in the past. I had to find so many characters, newer faces, it was a big film."
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The scale of it all
The NDTV report further cited that with a team of six, Mukesh Chhabra worked through nearly 400 roles across both parts of the film. He quoted Aditya Dhar's brief to him directly, "Aditya gave me full freedom and asked me to think as big as I can. He wanted to surprise people. He already believed that this film will break all the records and all the roles will get a lot of love."
Ranveer Singh was never in question
According to the report, one decision, however, was settled from the start. "We were always clear that Ranveer Singh will be cast as Hamza. He agreed instantly because he was also waiting for the right film," Chhabra told Bollywood Hungama.
Three actors passed on Akshaye Khanna's role
An NDTV report further cited that the casting of antagonist Rehmaan Dakait proved trickier. "I can't take any names, but 2-3 actors had said no to his role. I am sure they regret that decision today," Mukesh Chhabra said. "An actor from South and two from Bollywood gave very weird logic. They said that this is an ensemble cast and it's actually Ranveer's film, but Aditya moves on from negative thoughts quickly."
1,000 auditions for a single role
The search for Yalina Jamali, played by Sara Arjun, was among the most exhaustive. "I told him that we would need someone who doesn't have any old baggage, so a completely new face would work better. Everyone should believe that this is Yalina only. I wanted to cast for the character and keep it a surprise. We did over 1,000 auditions for her role," Mukesh Chhabra was quoted as saying by NDTV.
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About the film
Dhurandhar 2, officially titled Dhurandhar: The Revenge, released on 19 March. Director Aditya Dhar helmed the project. The film stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role as an undercover Indian intelligence agent. Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan also appear in key roles. It is the final part of the Dhurandhar series.
