Mukesh Chhabra REACTS as Dhurandhar director Aditya Dhar lauds him for reshaping the film: I’m very emotional

Dhurandhar's director Aditya Dhar expressed gratitude in a heartfelt message, crediting casting director Mukesh Chhabra for transforming the film's concept. Aditya Dhar's post garnered numerous positive responses, and Mukesh also expressed his emotions in a comment. Mukesh responded to Dhar's praiseful message hours later, appreciating the collaboration.

Mukesh praises Aditya Dhar

Mukesh wrote, Bhai, reading this post… I genuinely don’t know what to say. I’m very emotional right now—truly at a loss for words. All I know is… I love you, and thank you. I keep telling everyone that in the journey of this film, I’ve found a brother in Mumbai—and that means more to me than anything else. Working with you has honestly been one of the best experiences of my life. I have been in this industry for so many years, but the way you treat people—the respect you give to every HOD and every individual on set—is something truly rare. The love, warmth, and dignity you bring to your work… I genuinely feel everyone should learn from you. There are very few people who lead with so much heart.

Aditya Dhar’s appreciation post for Mukesh

In a heartwarming post on Instagram, Aditya Dhar wrote, Here’s to Mukesh Chhabra, the man who saw Dhurandhar long before I truly did. There are people who come into a film and do their job, and then there are people who quietly reshape the film itself. Mukesh was the latter. From the very first narration, he believed in the scale, the ambition, the sheer possibility of Dhurandhar far more than I did. Where I was cautious, he was fearless. Where I was thinking within limits, he pushed me to think bigger, not just in numbers, but in depth, in detail, in truth.

The casting of this film was never going to be easy. The sheer number of actors, the range of characters, and the responsibility of getting every single face right were overwhelming. But Mukesh and his team just went all guns blazing. My only brief to them was simple: bring me great actors, new or old, big or small, it doesn’t matter.?And he turned that into a mission. What followed were endless days and nights, sitting together, breaking down every character, debating, exploring, rejecting, and discovering. Conversations that didn’t feel like work but like building something brick by brick with absolute honesty, the note further read.

Aditya also added, For him, casting was never about filling roles; it was about finding people who belonged. Even for the smallest part, he went just as deep, just as far, making sure every person on screen felt real, lived-in, and true to the world. But beyond the craft, what I found in him was something even more rare, a friend, a well-wisher, a brother. Someone who stood by the film with complete faith, even when mine wavered. I truly hope this film makes people realise the power of casting as one of the most crucial, yet often overlooked, aspects of filmmaking. It can make a film or break it. And it’s unfortunate that our industry still doesn’t celebrate casting directors the way it should. This film carries your choices in every single frame, Mukesh! Endless gratitude, respect, and love for you.

About Dhurandhar

"Dhurandhar 2," a spy action thriller, hit theaters on March 19, following the first installment released in December 2025. The film features Ranveer Singh as an undercover Indian intelligence agent infiltrating Karachi's criminal and political circles in Pakistan to dismantle a terror network targeting India.

The sequel explores the rise of Ranveer's character, Hamza Ali Mazari, in the Karachi underworld, detailing his transformation from Jaskirat Singh Rangi into the covert operative. The movie also stars Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi.