The Dhurandhar franchise has become much more than a box-office success. While the films have shattered records and inspired endless internet memes, they have also shone a rare spotlight on the art of film casting. From director Aditya Dhar’s intense focus on peak detailing to the research conducted by casting director Mukesh Chhabra, the ensemble has been a major talking point for fans and critics alike.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Mukesh Chhabra opened up about the massive responsibility of casting the characters in Dhurandhar. He shared how he managed nearly 300 roles, a process that occupied two years of his life and required the efforts of eight assistants. While the films boast massive stars like Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt, Mukesh revealed that his most satisfying casting choice wasn’t one of the industry veterans. Instead, it was finding the right face for the female lead.
He shared, “I could say all of them. But Sara Arjun is a new talent. To find a new girl for this role amid such a big star cast was challenging.” Sara, a former child star known for projects like Ponniyin Selvan and Ek Thi Daayan, made her lead debut as Yalina, the love interest and eventual wife of Ranveer Singh’s character, Hamza. Mukesh mentioned that the positive reception of her performance validated the leap of faith taken by him and Aditya Dhar. He added, “And then for her to stand out in this manner felt great.” The casting director also found satisfaction in subverting audience expectations by placing known comedic actors in serious, high-stakes roles. He highlighted the surprise casting of Gaurav Gera as the Indian spy Aalam and Rakesh Bedi as the shrewd politician Jameel Jamali as particularly rewarding.
Talking about the wider ensemble, including Uzair Baloch (Danish Pandor), Babu Dakait (Asif Ali Haider Khan), and the much-discussed portrayals of Nawaz Sharif and Atiq Ahmed, Mukesh expressed immense pride in the final result. He said, “Every single person we cast in this film was perfect.”
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