The success of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge hasn’t just been about box office numbers, it has also sparked conversations around its near to perfect casting. Now, casting director Mukesh Chhabra has pulled back the curtain on the effort that want into building the film’s ensemble revealing a process that was as exhaustive as it was precise.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India Chhabra shared that he spent close to two years working on the film’s casting, auditioning over 300 actors along with his team. His vision was clear from the start, every character no matter how small, had to feel authentic.

“I wanted to cast every single person on screen, even if it was just for a scene” he said adding that he and his eight assistants committed fully to that approach.

One of the most challenging parts of the process was casting the role of Rehman Dakait. According to Chhabra several actors initially turned it down, hesitant to be part of an ensemble driven film.

Ironically, many of them reached out later after the film’s release, expressing regret.

Akshaye Khanna’s entry came late in the process. Chhabra recalled that when he first approached the actor, Khanna jokingly asked if he had “gone mad.” But after hearing the narration, his response changed instantly.

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“He said ‘Fantastic!’ in his typical way” Chhabra said. Within the same day he called back and confirmed.

The casting director also pointed out that Khanna didn’t require heavy transformation. “Sometimes you don’t have to create a look for an actor” he noted, hinting at the performer’s natural suitability for the role.

While some roles were difficult to fill others fell into place quickly. Chhabra reached out to R. Madhavan, whom he has known since the days of Rang De Basanti.

With just a brief pitch and a meeting arranged with director Aditya Dhar, Madhavan came on board almost immediately. Chhabra emphasised how the actor brought quiet authority to his role relying on restraint rather than action.

For the role played by Sara Arjun, the team went through multiple auditions before finding the right fit.

Chhabra described her audition as a turning point. “When I saw it, I went mad,” he said, referring to a key confrontation scene with Ranveer Singh that eventually made it into the film.

For characters inspired by real life figures, such as those resembling Nawaz Sharif and Atiq Ahmed, Chhabra adopted a flexible approach.

In some cases physical resemblance was prioritized and in others, strong performers were cast first and then transformed through makeup and styling. He credited makeup artist Preetisheel Singh for helping actors convincingly embody their characters.

Meanwhile Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge continues its dream run at the box office. The Ranveer Singh starrer has reportedly crossed ₹900 crore worldwide within six days putting it on track to challenge and possibly surpass its predecessor’s lifetime collection.