Mukesh Chhabra, the celebrated casting director, is receiving high praise for his work on the recently released action film Dhurandhar. The film has garnered attention for its unexpected casting choices, with Chhabra revealing that he aimed to "twist things" for the audience. Dhurandhar has become a box-office success, earning over ₹250 crore domestically.

Chhabra revealed that finalising the cast took nearly a year and a half, involving extensive debates with the director over the suitability of actors like Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and R Madhavan. He emphasized the importance of taking time to find the right fit for each role, rather than rushing the process. According to Chhabra, surprising the audience and presenting actors in fresh, interesting, and sometimes humorous ways was a key objective. He consciously avoided cliché casting choices, opting for unexpected faces in certain roles.

Akshaye Khanna's portrayal of crime kingpin Rehman Dakait has particularly resonated with audiences, dominating social media platforms since the film's release. Chhabra lauded Khanna's dedication and focus, noting that the actor was unaware of the immense impact his performance would have. He said, "He is baap! Now he has literally taken over the internet...People are only talking about his entry and the way he has performed overall".

Chhabra shared that Khanna doesn't have an entourage and makes all his professional decisions independently. Praising the actor, Chhabra stated that Khanna immediately agreed to the film after the narration. He is a man of his word.

The casting of Rakesh Bedi as politician Jameel Jamali has also been widely applauded. Chhabra noted that Bedi reinvented himself in the film, adding his own humor to the character. Other unconventional casting choices, such as Gaurav Gera, also contributed to the film's fresh appeal.

Mukesh Chhabra considers Dhurandhar to be one of the most rewarding projects of his career, eliciting a level of love and enthusiasm comparable to his earlier successes like Gangs of Wasseypur, Kai Po Che, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan.