Speculation around Akshaye Khanna’s return to the Race franchise has been put to rest. Producer Ramesh Taurani has confirmed that the actor will not be part of Race 4, stating clearly that there was “no scope at all” for his comeback in the series.
Akshaye Khanna, who is currently receiving widespread praise for his performance as Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, had sparked fan curiosity about his next project. Given his memorable role in the first Race film, many hoped he would return for the fourth instalment. However, Taurani dismissed these rumours in an interview, clarifying that Akshaye was never approached for the film.
Explaining the decision, Taurani said that Akshaye’s character met with an accident in the first Race movie and that his storyline ended there permanently. He added that there is no plan to rework the script or revive the character in any form.
The producer also addressed casting speculation surrounding Race 4, stating that no actor has been finalised so far and that the film is still in the scripting stage. While earlier reports suggested that Saif Ali Khan and Sidharth Malhotra were being considered, Taurani reiterated that discussions are ongoing and no confirmations have been made yet.
Earlier, the makers had issued an official statement urging media and fans not to believe casting rumours, emphasising that only preliminary discussions were underway and that any official updates would be shared through their PR team.
The Race franchise began in 2008 with Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Anil Kapoor. While the first two films were major successes, Race 3 saw a major cast overhaul with Salman Khan leading the project. Race 4 now remains one of the most anticipated Bollywood sequels, even as details continue to stay under wraps.