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Rakesh Bedi Says He Was First Cast in Dhurandhar as Film Heads to Split OTT Release

It shows a director's early casting choice producing a breakout supporting turn that drove social-media buzz, prompting a split global and Indian streaming rollout.

Overview

  • Rakesh Bedi told reporters this week that director Aditya Dhar signed him as the first actor for the Dhurandhar franchise three to four years before the script was completed.
  • Bedi's portrayal of the character Jameel Jamali became a widely discussed element of the films, with specific scenes and lines generating strong social-media traction and renewed attention to the veteran actor's work.
  • Press outlets report large box‑office totals for the two-part franchise, with cumulative global figures cited in coverage, but those numbers are reported by the media and not independently verified in the articles.
  • The second film has followed a dual OTT plan: a 'raw and undekha' version began streaming globally on Netflix from May 22 and an India-specific version is set to premiere on JioHotstar on June 4 in a deal that has been reported as nearly Rs 150 crore.
  • Coverage frames Dhar's early casting choice as a director-driven risk that yielded commercial and publicity gains for the franchise and has led to reported post-release perks for contributors, including an unverified bonus reported for Bedi.