Akshaye Khanna’s menacing portrayal of Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar has drawn widespread praise, but the actor’s final look in the film didn’t come together without debate. Costume designer Smriti Chauhan has now revealed that Akshaye was initially unconvinced about the styling choices and played a decisive role in reshaping his character’s visual arc.
Speaking on a recent episode of Unfolding Talents (UT) on the Digital Commentary YouTube channel, Chauhan said the first design approach leaned heavily towards traditional pathanis. However, Akshaye felt that wasn’t the complete picture of who Rehman Dakait was.
“We gave him kurta-jeans as well. It was a very important input by Akshaye sir himself, that we should not forget that he is also from the streets,” she explained. According to Chauhan, this suggestion helped underline the character’s roots and made narrative sense, especially as the story charts Rehman’s ascent into politics. “We had a journey where we see him distressed in linens and denims, and then cut to silk-wool pathani, which is one of the most important looks in the film.”
The designer recalled multiple trials with elaborate pathanis featuring heavy embroidery, but Akshaye remained unsure. At one stage, he even told the team, “I’m not sure if we take this route.” Chauhan said the discussions eventually circled back to the need for rawness and grit, reminding everyone that the character’s origins had to be reflected in his clothing.
She also spoke about designing Akshaye's striking appearance in the now-viral 'Fa9la' song sequence. With most performers dressed in white, the colour palette became a challenge. “Initially, the idea was that all dancers would be in black,” Chauhan said, adding that authenticity won out. “If you see the original Balochis, they wear white a lot. So Aditya sir suggested we go with white because that’s the original look.”
To ensure Rehman Dakait stood apart, the team made a deliberate contrast. “Rehman Dakait was awarded Sher-E-Baloch, so we had to make him stand out. We decided Akshaye sir should wear all black, with all the dancers in white,” she noted. Staying rooted in cultural detail, Chauhan ultimately chose a Balochi pathani for the actor, confident that black was the right call.
Written, directed and co-produced by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun and Rakesh Bedi. While Akshaye essays Rehman Dakait, Madhavan plays Ajay Sanyal, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Ranveer Singh leads the film as Jaskirat Singh Rangi, also known as Hamza Ali Mazari, who infiltrates Rehman’s gang to pass critical intelligence to India. Released on December 5, Dhurandhar has enjoyed a remarkable box office run, amassing over ₹607 crore in India so far.