Rakesh Bedi was meant to work with 'Dhurandhar' co-star Sanjay Dutt in his debut film 'Rocky’, here's why that didn't happen

Actor Rakesh Bedi, who plays a key role in the recently released ‘Dhurandhar’, has made a surprising revelation, he was once cast in his ‘Dhurandhar’ co-star Sanjay Dutt’s debut film ‘Rocky’. The veteran actor shared this unexpected chapter from his early years while also opening up about his decades-long bond with Dutt and emotional memories from the set.

Rakesh Bedi on his bond with Sanjay Dutt

Bedi spoke about how far back his connection with Sanjay Dutt goes, right to the beginning of Dutt’s journey in films. He told NDTV, "Me and Sanjay go back a very long way. I know him from the day he came. I was cast in his first film, Rocky. I got the offer." This reveal shows that Bedi’s link with Sanjay Dutt began even before Dutt made his debut.

His ‘Rocky’ role slipped away unexpectedly

The actor then explained why he could not take up the part in ‘Rocky’. He said, "I could not do that because I had some other commitment during that time. So I know him since that day. In between, I have also done a few films with him. And then when we met this time, we had a lot to talk about."

Even though he missed the opportunity to be part of Sanjay Dutt’s first film, the friendship between the two stayed strong.

Rakesh Bedi’s friendship with Sanjay Dutt grew with respect

Bedi went on to share one of the most touching moments between him and Sanjay Dutt, one that shows the deep respect between them. He recalled, "He calls me brother because he knows I am senior to him, gives me a lot of respect. One day I remember I asked him, 'How is Madam?' He got very upset with me. I said, what happened? He said, 'Brother, you're saying Madam? I don't like it. She is your younger sister, your daughter-in-law. How can you say that? I don't like it.' There's a kind of respect and bond.'"

Rakesh Bedi on ‘Dhurandhar’

Talking about his first reading of the ‘Dhurandhar’ script, Bedi shared that the story felt heavy and gripping without any moments of ease. He said, "I remember one thing - initially, when I read the script, I found that the film is very intense. I won't call it grim, but very intense. It doesn't let you off the hook at all. But the humour was lacking."

He approached director Aditya Dhar with the suggestion that certain scenes could use a natural touch of humour. He shared, "I told Aditya, I can feel some points where I can sprinkle some humour and wit, and definitely, there could be laughter." The director welcomed his input, which led to a smooth creative partnership during the shoot.

Bedi noted that the humour he added did not come through big dialogues but through simple expressions and light movements. He explained, "It was a great bond between Aditya and me. And it's showing in the film. You'll find that there are many moments where I have tried to extract humour out of nothing, you can say. It's not in the dialogue as such. It's just maybe in a look or a laugh or one small gesture, and it was there." The film released in cinemas on 5 December.

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