Dhurandhar continues to pull audiences to theatres even a month after its release. The film has stayed strong at the box office and remains a major talking point. While Akshaye Khanna’s performance as Rehman Dakait has earned wide praise, not everyone agrees that the spotlight has fallen in the right place. Actor Naveen Kaushik believes Ranveer Singh’s work deserves far more attention than it has received.
In a recent conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Naveen opened up about his experience on set. He spoke about the contrasting personalities of Akshaye Khanna and Ranveer Singh. He also explained why he feels Ranveer’s restraint as an actor has gone unnoticed.
Akshaye Khanna Kept Distance From Others On Dhurandhar Set
Naveen, who played Rehman Dakait’s close aide in Dhurandhar, shared interesting details about Akshaye Khanna’s approach. According to him, Akshaye chose to stay in character even when the cameras were off. This behaviour closely matched his on-screen role.
“Naveen said, “On set, Ranveer Singh always treated us like friends. Akshaye Khanna, on the other hand, maintained a certain distance, mostly because he was deeply invested in his character.”
He explained that the film’s gang dynamics were visible even during breaks. He added, “Interestingly, the on-screen dynamic translated into real life as well. You’d see all the gang members sitting together, laughing and having fun, while Rehman Dakait would sit a little apart. That’s how it was throughout the shoot.”
Naveen was quick to clarify that Akshaye’s distance was never rude. “If we went up to him for a conversation, he would speak very warmly. But once the conversation ended, he would retreat back into his space-and so would we. I don’t know if it was method acting, but just like Rehman Dakait, who stays quiet, observes, and remains unpredictable, Akshaye sir was quite similar in real life. He stayed away from the chaos on set and focused solely on his character.”
Ranveer Singh Is Energetic With ‘No Star Tantrums’
When speaking about Ranveer Singh, Naveen painted a very different picture. He said Ranveer’s real-life personality was the opposite of his character Hamza. “Hamza is completely different from Ranveer. Ranveer is a ball of energy. Whenever he’s on set, he greets everyone. He doesn’t like people sitting around lazily.”
Naveen also praised Ranveer’s discipline as an actor. He added, “These two characters-Hamza and Rehman-are poles apart. Every time the director said CUT, Ranveer would instantly switch back to being himself, unless it was a very serious scene. He had a child-like curiosity throughout, with absolutely no ‘I am a huge star’ tantrums.”
Despite all this, Naveen feels Ranveer did not get his due credit. “I do feel it’s unfair. Akshaye sir has undoubtedly created an iconic character that will be remembered for years. But what Ranveer has done as an actor-the tiny nuances, his voice modulation-for someone so energetic in real life to suppress all of that and play the complete opposite, it’s extremely difficult,” he said.
He pointed to the FA9LA sequence as an example. Naveen explained, “In the famous FA9LA song, everyone in the scene is dancing-except Ranveer Singh. To restrain yourself in a moment like that is incredibly hard.”
He ended by highlighting Ranveer’s lack of insecurity. “Ranveer’s character is deliberately underplayed. He doesn’t seek attention. In the film, the first man in command is Akshaye, followed by Danish. If Ranveer had ego issues, he could have easily tried to draw focus to himself, but he didn’t. An insecure actor would have done that. Ranveer stayed true to his character and allowed someone else to shine.”
In Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh’s Hamza is written as a subtle and self-effacing spy. The film treats itself as an ensemble, giving space to multiple performances. This choice may have shaped the perception that Ranveer was underused. Reports suggest his full “mass” moment is being saved for Dhurandhar 2, which is slated for release on March 19, 2026. The sequel is said to be even more brutal than the first film.
