After Rejecting Him For Shaktimaan, Mukesh Khanna Hails Ranveer Singh's Performance In Dhurandhar: "He Is A Good Actor"

The statement comes a year after he denied Ranveer Singh the role of Shaktimaan due to his "mischievous" on-screen image.

21 Dec 2025, 12:15 · NDTV

New Delhi:

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, known for his iconic role as Shaktimaan, has praised Ranveer Singh's performance in his latest release, Dhurandhar. Describing the film as "perfect", Mukesh called Ranveer a "good actor". This comes a year after he denied Ranveer the role of Shaktimaan due to his "mischievous" on-screen image.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Mukesh Khanna lauded Ranveer's energy and screen presence in Dhurandhar. He also praised the film's director, Aditya Dhar, for the strong writing and his creative vision.

The veteran actor said, "There are many brilliant adjectives that can be attributed to the film Dhurandhar. It's a perfect film, a commercial film, and one that will hit the masses. Every department did their best, whether it was acting, directing, action, direction, or writing. Everyone has given their best, so that you can call the film Dhurandhar in every way."

Talking about Ranveer, he added, "I would like to praise this film's hero, Dhurandhar, Ranveer Singh. You will say, ‘You didn't let him play Shaktimaan'. I may have denied him the role of Shaktimaan, but he is a good actor, I always say this. He has great energy in this film, and his eyes are brooding because this man has come from India and has been planted in Pakistan. How he enters this world and becomes a gang member.”

Earlier, Mukesh Khanna had denied Ranveer Singh the role of Shaktimaan in the titular movie. In an interview with Filmygyan, the actor said, "Ranveer and I sat and talked for three hours, and he's a very energetic actor. But I have openly said to his face, You can play Tamraj Kilvish (the story's villain). His face has a mischievous positivity. This actor – if you tell him to play Shaktimaan, you might enjoy it because he makes you dance, but you need someone mature enough to play Shaktimaan.”

The television show ran on Doordarshan from 1997 to 2005. Mukesh Khanna played both Shaktimaan and his alter ego, Gangadhar, a photojournalist.

Meanwhile, Dhurandhar has entered the Rs 500 crore club in India. The spy actioner is well on its way to becoming the highest-grossing film of the year.

Show full article

Entertainment I Read Latest News on NDTV Entertainment. Click NDTV Entertainment For The Latest In, bollywood , regional, hollywood, tv, web series, photos, videos and More.