- Akshay Kumar said he was not offered a role in Dhurandhar by director Aditya Dhar
- Ranveer Singh expressed to Akshay Kumar that he wished he had done Dhurandhar
- Dhurandhar is noted as a major comeback for high-energy action films in India
At a recent event, Akshay Kumar was asked if he wishes he could have been part of Dhurandhar, as he is "well-suited" for a film like that. The actor candidly responded about how he felt and also explained the dynamic in reverse with Ranveer Singh.
What's Happening
- On Saturday, Akshay Kumar was part of the India Today Conclave Delhi 2026 for a session titled The Khiladi: Method Behind the Hit Machine.
- Sardesai, who was hosting the session, asked him, "When you saw Dhurandhar, and saw Ranveer play that role. Did you think I could have been part of the Lyari gang? You are suited for it in many ways."
- Akshay Kumar candidly replied, "But I don't think Aditya thought that, so I didn't get it."
- Furthermore, he was asked, "If you see some other person play the role, is there some regret? Any insecurities or anxiety?"
- Akshay Kumar continued, "Many times, when I meet Ranveer, he tells me, 'Woh kya film ki thi (it was a great film), I wish I had done it. This happens. Koi film woh karna chahta hai aur koi main (There are some films he wants to do and some that I want to do). Hum log 15-20 actors hai aur Hindustan mein 180 filmein banti hai toh sabko kaam milta hai (We are around 15-20 actors, and about 180 films are made in India, so everyone gets work). So, everyone has roles. Regret as in you feel you wish you had done this film, but jalan nahi hoti (there's no jealousy)."
On Audiences Loving High-Scale Action Films
Furthermore, Akshay Kumar cited Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar as an example of the big comeback of action films and how audiences are loving it.
He said, "Take Dhurandhar, for example. It's a full-fledged action film. The whole film is about action and bloodshed. People have loved it, they have lapped it up, and really enjoyed it. And then there's a hero like Ranveer Singh, who performs intense action scenes, a very chest-thumping, high-energy kind of action. He carries the image of a complete 'angry young man'. So everything keeps changing... Now it's the time for horror comedies. People really like horror comedies. Stree was a big hit. Everything keeps changing, and we never really know what audiences will like next."
About Dhurandhar 2
After the explosive run of Dhurandhar in theatres, Dhurandhar 2 is all set to release on March 19. The trailer, released on March 7, shows Ranveer Singh returning in a deadlier, more ferocious avatar on a revenge spree. It highlights his dual roles as Jaskirat and Hamza, replete with high-octane action and violent scenes, setting the mood for another visual extravaganza.
Dhurandhar released in December last year, becoming the year's highest-grossing film and setting a record as the highest grosser in a single language.
Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, and Sanjay Dutt reprise their roles in this second installment.
Advance bookings for the film started on Saturday (7 March) for paid previews.
The second installment of the spy thriller has already sold over 411,182 tickets in India for the premiere shows scheduled on 18 March-a day before the film's official release-according to a report by Sacnilk. The project has minted Rs 21.4 crore through advance sales. With blocked seats included, the figure rises to Rs 26.53 crore.
The highest sales were witnessed in Hindi, with 381,735 tickets sold so far, followed by Tamil at 17,633 and other languages.
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge Challenging Big Records
Based on Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge's hype and initial pull, it seems the Ranveer Singh starrer is challenging the premiere records of pan-Indian all-time greats such as Animal, Jawan, Pushpa 2, KGF 2, and Baahubali 2.
While Baahubali 2 continues to hold the all-time North American premiere record at $4.3M and about Rs 37.53 crore in the domestic market, Dhurandhar 2 has already crossed the $1.31M gross mark for the USA premiere, according to Sacnilk.
With this, the Ranveer Singh starrer is moving ahead to surpass the Indian premiere grosses of Animal (Rs 29.25 crore), Jawan (Rs 37.24 crore), Pushpa 2: The Rule (Rs 37.30 crore) and KGF: Chapter 2 (Rs 40.65 crore). The Aditya Dhar directorial is also eyeing a massive gross in the North American diaspora circuit.
ALSO READ | Aditya Dhar Was A Cricketer, Politics Kicked Him Out. It Resulted In A Rs 1,300-Crore Dhurandhar
