Dhurandhar Casting Shocker: Who Almost Replaced Ranveer Singh?

December 09, 2025, Mumbai: Aditya Dhar’s new movie Dhurandhar has finally hit the theatres. It was released on December 5, 2025. The movie is a massive hit. Everyone is talking about it. But before the release, there were many whispers. People heard many rumors about the casting. Who was supposed to be in the movie? Did someone reject the role?

Fans love to guess these things. Social media was full of theories. Some said one actor was finalized. Others said another actor left the movie. Now the movie is out. The truth is finally in front of us. Let’s look at the rumors versus the reality of the Dhurandhar casting.

Dhurandhar Casting Rumors vs. Reality: Who Almost Got the Role of Lead Actors?

Rumor 1: Vicky Kaushal Was the First Choice

The biggest rumor was about Vicky Kaushal. Aditya Dhar and Vicky Kaushal are a dream team. They gave us the blockbuster movie Uri: The Surgical Strike. After that, they were supposed to work on The Immortal Ashwatthama. That movie got shelved.

Fans believed Vicky would be the lead in Dhurandhar. They thought Aditya Dhar would only work with his favorite actor. When Ranveer Singh was announced, fans were shocked. Many thought Vicky rejected the role. Some thought they had a fight.

The Reality: Vicky Kaushal was never officially cast in Dhurandhar. The director, Aditya Dhar, wrote this script with a fresh perspective. According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, the previous project with Vicky was shelved due to budget issues. This led Aditya to start a completely new story. Ranveer Singh was the choice for this specific spy thriller. There was no rejection from Vicky. The “almost” casting was just fan hope. They missed their favorite actor-director duo.

Rumor 2: The Movie is a Biopic of Major Mohit Sharma

As soon as the trailer dropped, the internet went crazy. Ranveer Singh plays an undercover agent. He looks intense. He has a beard and long hair. Fans started comparing him to real-life heroes.

A strong rumor started spreading on Twitter. People said Ranveer is playing Major Mohit Sharma. Major Mohit Sharma was a brave Ashoka Chakra awardee. He famously infiltrated terrorist groups. The story seemed very similar. Fans were sure this was a biopic.

The Reality: This rumor was false. The director had to come out and clarify. According to The Times of India, Aditya Dhar officially stated that Dhurandhar is not a biopic of Major Mohit Sharma. While the movie is inspired by true events, the characters are fictional. Ranveer plays a character named Hamza. He is an undercover agent, but he is not playing Major Mohit Sharma directly. The story takes inspiration from many covert operations, not just one man’s life.

Rumor 3: R. Madhavan is Playing Ajit Doval

This rumor was very specific. R. Madhavan plays a senior officer in the movie. His character is the head of the mission. In the trailer, he wears glasses and looks very serious. He plans the whole operation from a desk.

Internet sleuths quickly pointed out the similarities. They compared his look to India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. They said the character ‘Ajay Sanyal’ is actually Ajit Doval.

The Reality: This rumor turned out to be mostly true in spirit. The character is officially named Ajay Sanyal. However, the mannerisms are very close to the real person. According to a review in The Hindu, the character is heavily “modeled on” Ajit Doval. The movie does not use the real name. But the style, the strategy, and the position are a clear nod to him. So, in this case, the fans were right. Madhavan is playing the reel version of India’s famous spymaster.

Rumor 4: Mukesh Ambani Rejected the Film

This is a very interesting behind-the-scenes story. Rumors floated that the producers had a hard time starting the movie. People said big financiers said no to the script. The scale of the movie is huge. It needed a lot of money.

There was a whisper that Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in India, said no to the movie. People wondered if the movie would ever be made.

The Reality: This story is actually true! According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Mukesh Ambani initially found the script “unfilmable.” He thought it was too complex. However, his son, Anant Ambani, is a friend of the director. Anant convinced his father to invest in the vision. This is how the movie finally got the green light. So, the “rejection” was real, but it was solved by the next generation.

The Official Cast: Who Played Whom?

Now that the confusion is cleared, let’s look at the final list. The casting is powerful. Each actor fits their role perfectly.

1. Ranveer Singh as Hamza (The Undercover Agent) Ranveer is the soul of the movie. He is not playing a loud hero. He is quiet and dangerous. He infiltrates the enemy lines. His performance is being called his best in years. He brings a sad intensity to the role.

2. Akshaye Khanna as Rehman Dakait. This is the surprise package. Akshaye Khanna plays the villain. He is a gangster in Karachi. He is scary and calm. Fans are loving his comeback. He steals every scene he is in.

3. Sanjay Dutt as SP Chaudhry Aslam. Sanjay Dutt plays a cop from the other side of the border. His character is based on a real Pakistani police officer. He is loud, bold, and fearless. He adds a lot of mass appeal to the movie.

4. Arjun Rampal as Major Iqbal. Arjun Rampal looks deadly. He plays an intelligence officer from the enemy side. His look is sharp and evil. He is the perfect rival to Ranveer’s character.

Why These Actors Were Chosen

Aditya Dhar is known for perfect casting. He did not want just big names. He wanted actors who could look the part.

• Ranveer Singh: He needed someone who could change his body language completely. Ranveer transformed himself.
• Akshaye Khanna: The director wanted a villain who uses his brain, not just muscles. Akshaye has that intelligent look.
• R. Madhavan: The role needed wisdom and calmness. Madhavan has a very trustworthy face.

According to a report in Variety, the casting director Mukesh Chhabra spent months finalizing these looks. They wanted the “Real vs Reel” feel to be authentic. They used prosthetics to make them look like the real inspirations.

The Box Office Verdict

The movie is a blockbuster. It has crossed Rs 100 crore in just a few days. The “Rumors” actually helped the movie. People went to theatres to check the truth.

They wanted to see if the Ajit Doval theory was right. They wanted to see if Ranveer was really playing a soldier. The curiosity worked in favor of the film. The reviews are positive. Critics are praising the “ensemble cast.” This means every actor did a great job, not just the hero.

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What About the Sequel?

Now, a new rumor has started. Is there a Dhurandhar 2?

The movie ends on a cliffhanger. There is a hint of a bigger mission. Fans are now speculating about the cast for the second part. Will Vicky Kaushal join the universe now? That is the big question.

Sources say the script for part 2 is already in the works. But the casting is kept secret. We might hear more rumors soon. Until then, we have to wait and watch.

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Opinion and Methodology

Opinion: In my view, the casting of Dhurandhar is a masterclass. It avoids the trap of using “plastic” heroes. The choice of Akshaye Khanna is the best decision. He brings a fear factor that is rare.

Ranveer Singh also proves he is more than just a star. He is an actor who can submit to the director’s vision. The rumors about Vicky Kaushal were natural, but Ranveer owns this role completely.

Methodology: To write this article, I gathered information from trusted news sources. I verified the release date (December 5, 2025) and the current box office status. I looked for specific reports from Bollywood Hungama, The Times of India, and The Hindu to confirm the details. I compared the early fan theories found on social media with the final movie reviews. This helped me separate the “Rumors” from the “Reality.” I focused on the specific “almost” stories to answer the user’s core question.