Actor Akshaye Khanna has been receiving immense appreciation for his performance as gangster Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the spy thriller turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year. However, amid the film’s continued success, rumours began circulating that South superstar Nagarjuna was originally considered for the role before it eventually went to Akshaye.
Putting the speculation to rest, Nagarjuna has now reacted to the claims. In a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, the actor clarified that he was never approached for the part. He also lauded Dhar’s direction and recalled enjoying the filmmaker’s earlier hit Uri.
Addressing reports that he had rejected the role, he said, “Absolutely not. I was not offered the role, though I wish I was… Dhurandhar is a superb film… Really incredible direction by Aditya Dhar. I loved his earlier film Uri also! Superb acting by everybody in the film, and Akshaye Khanna was terrific… Looking forward to the sequel! Wishing them another blockbuster."
Meanwhile, Akshaye’s portrayal of the menacing Pakistani gangster Rehman Dakait has been one of the film’s biggest highlights. Several viewers felt he “stole the show” with his chilling screen presence. His now-viral dancing entry to the track Fa9la by Flipperachi in the film has especially grabbed attention, becoming a major talking point on social media.
Released in theatres on December 5 2025, Dhurandhar went on to shatter box office records. The high-octane drama features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi. Set in Lyari town of Karachi, the film revolves around covert intelligence missions and is inspired by real geopolitical and terror incidents such as the Kandahar plane hijack, the 2001 Parliament attack and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The film reportedly grossed Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, including a record-breaking Rs 800+ crore in India, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film to date.
The franchise is now gearing up for its second installment, Dhurandhar: The Revenge, which is slated to hit theatres on March 19. The sequel will face box office competition from Yash’s much-anticipated pan-India film Toxic.
At present, Nagarjuna is busy shooting for his milestone 100th film.
