- Rakesh Bedi received unanimous praise for his role in the Dhurandhar franchise
- Pavan Malhotra commended director Aditya Dhar for casting Rakesh Bedi despite big stars
- Rakesh Bedi chose passion over stability, leaving IIT exam to pursue theatre
If there's one star who has garnered unanimous praise from all quarters for Dhurandhar, it's Rakesh Bedi.
The franchise put the senior actor in the spotlight in a way he perhaps had not enjoyed before. Seasoned actor Pavan Malhotra praised director Aditya Dhar for his conviction in bringing the actor on board with a stellar cast, during a conversation with ANI.
The conversation
Pavan Malhotra said he is very happy about Rakesh Bedi's newfound Dhurandhar fame. He revealed that he had called the actor to congratulate him. Before speaking about Rakesh Bedi, Pavan Malhotra spoke about the range of Aditya Dhar, who has made films such as Baramulla, Uri, Article 370 and the Dhurandhar franchise.
"Aditya Dhar ki conviction dekhiye — film mein star Ranveer (Singh) tha, Sanjay (Dutt) tha. Phir bhi unhe Rakesh Bedi chahiye tha us role ke liye. Aditya Dhar tapped Rakesh Bedi's potential in Dhurandhar," Pavan Malhotra told ANI.
He also recalled that during his early years in Mumbai, he and Rakesh Bedi used to live in the same building in Santacruz East.
"David Dhawan, Rakesh Bedi and Raman Kumar used to live on the ground floor. Sudhir Mishra and I lived on the second floor," he said.
He added that he worked as an assistant director on the 1984 popular sitcom Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, in which Rakesh Bedi played a pivotal role.
He also said Rakesh Bedi is one of the nicest people he has ever met.
Answered 7 Questions Out of 39 and Left Midway
Going by the stories doing the rounds online, Rakesh Bedi was a real-life Dhurandhar.
Raised in Karol Bagh, he completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Andrews Ganj, in Delhi.
Having grown up in a middle-class family, he followed a set family pattern: study hard, crack IIT, and secure a stable income.
But Bedi realised that stability without passion was not enough for him.
He appeared for the IIT entrance exam, answered 7 out of 39 questions, and left midway. After leaving the exam hall, he went straight to theatre rehearsal.
He chose passion over stability, but the road to success was not smooth-he struggled for financial stability in his early years in the industry.
In an old interview, he said, "I trusted the process even when the rewards were slow."
Bedi then joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, to hone his craft. With over 150 films and memorable television roles, Rakesh Bedi has carved a place in the hearts of Indian households.
He was always there, but the Dhurandhar franchise has put him on the map of social-media-induced fame.
Body Of Work
In Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2, Rakesh Bedi played the scheming politician Jameel Jamali. With witty one-liners and impeccable comic timing, Jameel Jamali stole the limelight alongside Ranveer Singh.
Rakesh Bedi has an illustrious television career. He appeared in shows like Shrimaan Shrimati, Yeh Duniya Ghazab Ki, Sumit Sambhal Lega, Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!, and Sahib Biwi Aur Boss, to name a few.
His notable films include Chashme Buddoor, Anand Aur Anand, Betaaj Badshah, and Bewafa Sanam, to name a few.
