Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar is not only hitting the box office with the movie crossing the ₹100-crore mark in just a mere three days, but also triggering discussion regarding its standout performances. Though Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna have received widespread appreciation, Gaurav Gera has emerged as an unexpected talking point. Unrecognisable as Mohammad Aalam, a middle-aged juice shop owner in Lyari's bustling main market, audiences are taken aback by him.
Stills from the film quickly went viral, and fans were left surprised-the actor looked dramatically different. Now, he has spoken about the reactions and experience leading to it.
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‘People finally saw the real me’, says Gera
Speaking to Zoom, Gera shared that he has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of appreciation. “I’ve read online comments. They make me so happy, some even brought tears. It’s a lovely time, and I’ve been waiting for it for so long,” he said.
Known for his comedic roles, which include the highly popular Chutki, Gera said he had been waiting for a role that would allow him to show different facets of his craft. " Sometimes an actor gets typecast, and the audience doesn’t realise what he/she is capable of. Dhurandhar is such a film that allowed me to explore a side of me which viewers hadn’t seen until now," he added.
The actor also spoke about the effort behind his drastically different appearance. His hair was trimmed shorter than usual, and he sported a white beard, something he jokingly said is naturally white after years of makeup work. “Of course, my character looked way older than how I look. In fact, people don’t realise my actual age. The film’s team even cut my hair shorter than usual. I sported a white beard, which in reality is white (laughs) due to all these years of makeup. But yeah, people finally saw the real me,” he laughed.
About the movie
Dhurandhar follows Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal, essayed by R. Madhavan, who spearheads a high-risk mission to dismantle a terror network in Pakistan. Ranveer Singh is featured as a Punjabi youth who is recruited from prison and trained to infiltrate Karachi's underworld. The film also stars Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna and Gaurav Gera. Makers have announced that Dhurandhar 2 is scheduled to hit the screens on March 19, 2026.
