Actor Rakesh Bedi has praised his Dhurandhar co-star Akshaye Khanna, calling him a “lovable villain” and comparing his screen presence to that of Shatrughan Sinha during the peak of his career.
In an interview with Faridoon Shahryarm, Bedi said Akshaye stole the spotlight in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar despite playing the antagonist Rehman Dakait. According to him, Khanna’s flamboyant portrayal and effortless charm made the character more endearing than intimidating.
“His character has a flamboyance that is enhanced by the song. This is a lethal combination. When a villain becomes lovable, then he becomes more loved than the hero,” Bedi said, referring to the popular track FA9LA by Flipperachi. Drawing a parallel with the past, he added that Shatrughan Sinha, even while playing villains in most of his films, was greeted with cheers and applause in theatres because audiences found him charismatic rather than cruel.
Bedi also shared insights into Akshaye Khanna’s off-screen personality, describing him as quiet and reserved on set. “I’m someone who jokes around with everyone. Akshaye, on the other hand, would sit quietly, reading or looking at his phone. But whenever we sat together before a shot, our conversations were very intellectual. He was curious about my theatre work, and we had some really good discussions,” he recalled.
Rakesh added that Akshaye seems to be “laying low” after the film’s release, as he has not been able to get in touch with him recently.
Dhurandhar follows the story of Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari (played by Ranveer Singh), who goes undercover on a mission in Lyari, Pakistan. Akshaye Khanna plays Rehman Dakait, the leader of a militant gang, while Rakesh Bedi appears as senior politician Jameel Jamali. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun and Arjun Rampal. A sequel, Dhurandhar 2, is scheduled for theatrical release on March 19, 2026.