‘Villains Like Akshaye Khanna Get Cheered’: Rakesh Bedi Compares Dhurandhar Star To Shatrughan Sinha

Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi, who plays the sly Pakistani politician Jameel Jamali in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, has opened up about his experience working alongside Akshaye Khanna, whose portrayal of Rehman Dakait has emerged as one of the most talked-about performances in the film. In a recent interaction, Bedi also teased what lies ahead in the upcoming sequel, promising that his character will turn even darker and more manipulative.

Speaking to Faridoon Shahryar, Rakesh reflected on Akshaye Khanna’s reserved nature on set. “I am of the nature that I speak to everyone on set and crack jokes with everyone. Akshaye, however, is different. He would sit in the corner quietly and read his books or would be looking into his phone,” he said.

Despite their

contrasting personalities, Bedi shared that their off-camera interactions were intellectually stimulating. “Whenever we sat together before the shot, we had very intellectual conversations. He asked me a lot about my theatre. I also asked him questions. So we had some good conversations, but when it comes to the scene, we rehearsed a lot.”

Why Rehman Dakait Became A Fan Favourite Villain

Explaining why Akshaye Khanna’s character has struck such a chord with audiences, Rakesh pointed to the layered flamboyance built into Rehman Dakait. “His character has a flamboyance, which is increased by that song (FA9LA). This is a lethal combination. When a villain becomes lovable, then he becomes more loved than the hero,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with Hindi cinema history, Bedi added, “For example, Shatrughan Sinha, when he was at the peak of his career, his entry was marked by cheers and claps in theatres despite him playing a villain in every film. He was a lovable villain.”

The Craze For Dhurandhar 2 Is Already Real

Rakesh believes the intense anticipation around Dhurandhar 2 stems from how the first film deliberately withheld closure. “A woman told me that after watching Dhurandhar she wants to sleep and directly wake up on the day when Dhurandhar 2 is releasing—this is the reaction of many people,” he shared.

He explained that the film’s success lies in its storytelling choices. “We told an amazing story, but we did not tell its climax. Now everyone wants to know what happens next and how does it end. This has happened only because every scene of Dhurandhar is engaging, because the makers did not take commercial formulas in the film.”

‘More Kamina Than Before’: Rakesh Bedi Teases His Role In The Sequel

While careful not to reveal too much, Rakesh did drop a tantalising hint about what audiences can expect from his character in the sequel. “It is not for me to reveal things about the film, but I can say that my character will be more kamina than what you have seen in the first part,” he said.

Hinting at the political games ahead, he added, “My character has placed his son-in-law on the top after getting Rehman Dakait killed. But what is my character’s next game? Because he has placed his son-in-law on the throne, but that doesn’t mean he will let his own throne go away.”

The Dhurandhar sequel is scheduled to release on March 19, with expectations riding high after the first film’s explosive reception.