Fresh off the massive success of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, the casting director Mukesh Chhabra he’s soaking in what he calls the defining phase of his career.“It took me 20 years to get here, after doing over 300 films,” Chhabra told Hollywood Reporter India, reflecting on the film’s impact on his career.
“From the same face” to the casting revolution
Chhabra, who started his journey with Rang De Basanti (2006), recalled how casting in Bollywood has undergone a drastic change over the years.“They used to cast the same three people in every movie: the same villain, the same right-hand man, the same mother, the same sister, the same driver. Now the audience sees so many new actors and faces,” he said.He stated that today, “Every director in Bollywood, even the big directors who make commercial films, have a casting director”, saying that there is a significant evolution in storytelling.
“I can’t find talent on Instagram”
At a time when casting is being debated by industry players, Chhabra drew a clear line.“We keep recording data. But when I get a script I only focus on one film. I personally don’t find talent through Instagram,” he said, emphasizing his reliance on auditions and basic searches.
Many actors rejected it Rehman Dakait the role of
For Dhurandhar 2 directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh, the casting process was easy.“We were discussing the names of so many actors for the film, but they kept saying no because they didn’t want to be part of a team film,” explains Chhabra, recalling the struggle to land roles like antagonist Rehman Dakait.He added, “Sometimes you don’t have to look like an actor,” stressing the importance of natural fit over cosmetic transformations. Interestingly, after the release of the film, several actors who turned down the roles came back – this time with regret.It was one of the biggest casting wins Akshaye Khanna.“Akshaye Khanna’s name came up towards the end… when I first called him, he said, ‘Are you crazy?’ But I told him to at least listen to the story. After the narration, ‘Fantastico!’ and confirmed on the same day,” shared Chhabra.Similarly, R Madhavan was promoted almost immediately.“I told him, trust me, we only need 10-12 days… he immediately said yes. He brought authority in his performance. There is no action, he speaks calmly and never loses control,” he said.
“I don’t think about acting, only casting”
Chhabra’s philosophy remains different.“I don’t think about acting. I only think about casting for my character. If the actor is not that great but the actor is right from my side, I will go with that actor,” he explained.This instinct extended to Dhurandhar 2, where he pushed for meticulous casting.“I wanted to present every person on screen…my team spent two years auditioning and casting over 300 people for the film,” he revealed.
Finding Fresh Faces: Sara Arjun
The film also became a platform to discover new talents, including Sara Arjun.“When I saw his audition, I went crazy. The scene where Ranveer Singh confronts him about being an Indian agent, that was his audition,” he said.Today, as Dhurandhar 2 becomes both a box office hit and a cultural phenomenon, the focus is on casting as a craft.
