Dhurandhar Actor Naveen Kaushik Reveals He Was Ready To Quit Acting: ‘This Was My Last Hail Mary…’

Aditya Dhar’s film Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh, has taken the box office by storm ever since it was released in theatres on December 5, 2025. Not just Ranveer, the entire cast’s performances are being lauded by everyone. Naveen Kaushik, who plays Donga in the film, recently shared a lengthy note expressing his gratitude to Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar. He opened up about the challenges he faced in his acting journey, and how he struggled to trust himself amid rejections and self-doubt. He revealed that he had reached a point where he was ready to quit the film industry. However, a meeting with Aditya Dhar for this film became a turning point for him. He credited the director for helping him regain his self-belief and trust in himself as an actor.

Naveen Kaushik Reveals He Was About To Quit Acting Before Dhurandhar

In his latest Instagram post, Naveen Kaushik wrote, “Dear @adityadharfilms Sir, being an actor is all about trust. First, getting your family to trust that you chose the right path. Then getting the industry to trust you as a professional. Then getting a director to trust you with his vision. Then finally, getting the audience to trust you to entertain them. Somewhere in there, you forget that before everything, you have to trust yourself. Trust that all the sacrifices, all the rejections, the endless hours of waiting for non-returning casting calls, the ego massaging, the networking, the running after payments, the doubting of your abilities in the face of talentless “stars”—all these mean something. It means that you were supposed to be here. That you deserve to be here. I had forgotten my trust in me. I had forgotten the faith I had put in myself. I was ready to quit and leave.”

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He further added, “At the behest of Mukesh Sir, I took a meeting with you. This was my last Hail Mary before leaving the industry for good. Our meeting was two guys of the same age connecting over their Delhi theatre roots, about remembering how and why we came to this heartbreakingly enchanting city. I still remember the day when you gathered many of the actors from the cast and, after the story narration, told us all, “I need you all to put your trust in me and help me make this humongous project happen.” I suddenly felt that this was my movie. Not that I was acting in it, but mine, like I had become part of the village that raises a child.”

Naveen Kaushik Credits Aditya Dhar For Renewing His Self-Belief

Naveen Kaushik further added that the past year and a half has been a tough, sometimes frustrating, but a very thrilling journey. “From the locations to the action, through it all, Aditya sir, you have been the captain that kept the boat steady. Kept the vision when some might have lost it. Kept your cool when the heat of the moment would lead anyone astray. You put your trust in me to bring one of your characters to life and helped make it one of my biggest achievements. You helped me to trust myself again. Now as you rise to the upper echelons of directors in this country, I know the world now sees you as the master, the genius, the craftsman, and the storyteller that you truly are,” he concluded.

Naveen Kaushik is best known for his role in the 2009 film Rocket Singh: Salesman Of The Year, starring Ranbir Kapoor. He was also seen in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Bad Newz, as well as the TV series ‘Seven’ and the Prime Video web series ‘Inside Edge’.

About Dhurandhar

Dhurandhar follows Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajay Sanyal, played by R. Madhavan, who leads a high-stakes mission to dismantle a terror network in Pakistan. Ranveer Singh portrays a Punjabi youth recruited from prison and trained to infiltrate Karachi’s criminal underworld.

Dhurandhar stars Ranveer Singh in the lead, supported by Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, Manav Gohil, Danish Pandor, Saumya Tandon, Naveen Kaushik and others.

The sequel, Dhurandhar 2, will hit cinemas on March 19, 2026.