Big Stars Took Time to Commit
Amid the success of Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, casting director Mukesh Chhabra shared in a Hindustan Times interview how several actors were initially hesitant to join the film. Actors like Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna needed time before agreeing, while R Madhavan was the only one who said yes immediately.
Chhabra explained, “Initially, even Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna were not sure about being a part of the film. Only R Madhavan said yes. For the others, it took time. Aditya and I were considering so many people, and honestly, earlier, we had never thought we would cast so many big stars.”
Prioritising Impact Over Screen Time
Chhabra further elaborated on the reasons behind the actors’ early hesitation, particularly their concerns regarding screen time in a multi-starrer film. He emphasised that the team focused on the potential influence of each character on the audience rather than the number of days spent on set.
“Madhavan and Arjun were on the set of the film only for 12 days. Most actors usually worry about how much screen time they will get. We said that here, the impact is what matters. If you look at Madhavan’s part, with only 12 to 14 days of work, the impact of the role is huge,” he added.