Ram Gopal Varma is showering praise on Akshaye Khanna for his performance in Aditya Dhar's action thriller Dhurandhar, which was released on December 5, 2025. Varma lauded Khanna's commitment to the role, noting the actor's authentic approach to his character.

Varma took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his views on Dhurandhar, which stars Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna. He commended Dhar's direction and the film's overall impact, describing Dhurandhar as a "quantum leap" in Indian cinema and believing that Aditya Dhar has "completely and single handedly changed the future of Indian cinema, be it north or south".

In his praise for Akshaye Khanna, Varma highlighted the actor's naturalistic style. "In every shot of @AdityaDharFilms's #Dhurandhar, #AkshayeKhanna looks like he's stepping out of life, unlike most actors who look like they stepped out of a make up van". This statement suggests that Varma believes Khanna's commitment to authenticity distinguishes him from many of his peers.

Varma also acknowledged Ranveer Singh's performance and understanding of cinema, noting, "it is incredible that @RanveerOfficialthe star steps back to allow #akshayekhanna to fill the frame because that is the requirement of the story and is a testament to Ranveer's understanding of cinema". He also appreciated how the film trusts the intelligence of the audience.

Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, features an ensemble cast, including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi. The film is a spy action thriller centered around a decade-long Indian intelligence operation, where an undercover agent infiltrates Karachi's criminal and political underworld. While the film is claimed to be a work of fiction, its plot loosely incorporates real-life events involving geopolitical tensions.

The film has received mixed-to-positive reviews, with particular praise for the performances of Singh and Khanna, as well as Dhar's direction, cinematography, action sequences, music, and production value. Some criticism has been directed at the film's lengthy runtime. Commercially, Dhurandhar has been a major success, emerging as the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025. The film has earned over ₹872 crore worldwide. According to sacnilk.com, Dhurandhar has crossed ₹500 crore mark in just 16 days.

Akshaye Khanna's portrayal of Rehman Dakait has garnered significant attention, with many praising his performance. Costume designer Smriti Chauhan discussed Khanna's "Sher-E-Baloch" look from the song "FA9LA," noting the intention to create a powerful and attention-grabbing presence through the all-black attire and contrasting white turban.

Varma's praise adds to the acclaim surrounding Dhurandhar, particularly highlighting Akshaye Khanna's dedication to his role and the film's overall impact on Indian cinema.