Mukesh Khanna’s comments come amid renewed discussion around the Shaktimaan controversy. The iconic superhero, created in the 1990s and popularised by Khanna through the TV series Shaktimaan, was slated for a big-screen revival a few years ago. Ranveer had been announced as the new Shaktimaan, but the project ran into trouble after Khanna, who owns the rights to the character, opposed the casting

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna has heaped praise on Ranveer Singh’s performance in Dhurandhar, calling him a “good actor” despite earlier rejecting him for the role of Shaktimaan. In a new video shared on his YouTube channel on Saturday, Khanna spoke at length about the film and acknowledged Ranveer’s performance, which has been receiving rave reviews.

Addressing the long-standing controversy around the casting of Shaktimaan, Khanna said, “I want to praise Dhurandhar’s hero Ranveer Singh. Aap kahenge ki aapne unko Shaktimaan ke liye mana kiya hai. To sahab, maine bhala Shaktimaan ke liye mana kiya ho par actor woh acha hai, maine hamesha kaha hai. (You may say that I refused him for Shaktimaan. And yes, I did. But I have always maintained that he is a good actor)."

He went on to praise Ranveer’s screen presence in Dhurandhar. "Iss film mein kamaal ki unki energy hai, kamaal ka unka josh dikhta hai. Unki brooding eyes, uske poore role mein rawaangi hai,” Khanna added, noting the actor’s energy, sincerity and strong portrayal in the film.

Khanna’s comments come amid renewed discussion around the Shaktimaan controversy. The iconic superhero, created in the 1990s and popularised by Khanna through the television series Shaktimaan, was slated for a big-screen revival a few years ago. Ranveer had been announced as the new Shaktimaan, but the project ran into trouble after Khanna, who owns the rights to the character, publicly opposed the casting.

At the time, Khanna had stated that Ranveer’s off-screen image did not align with the values and persona associated with Shaktimaan, leading him to veto the actor’s casting.

Dhurandhar's box office success

Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer, Akshaye Khanna, Sara Arjun, R Madhavan, and Arjun Rampal, among others, shows no signs of slowing down at the box office and continues to create waves.

Dhurandhar is likely to cross the Rs 800 crore mark worldwide today. On Saturday, the film earned Rs 33.50 crore, taking its total domestic collection after 16 days to Rs 516.50 crore. With its Day 16 box office earnings, Dhurandhar has become the second-fastest Indian film ever to enter the Rs 500 crore club in India.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar has been widely praised by netizens and celebrities alike. Inspired by real-life events and crime syndicates in Karachi's Lyari area, the film draws on true incidents to depict India's fight against terror in Pakistan.

The makers have confirmed a second part, officially titled Dhurandhar 2 - Revenge, which is set to arrive in theatres in March 2026.