Exclusive: Hirav Mehta on working with 'legends' like Akshaye Khanna in Dhurandhar: "He comes, greets people and locks in his character"

Hirav Mehta, actor

Aditya Dhar’s directorial Dhurandhar continues to dominate the box office, having already crossed the Rs 300 crore mark. From its gripping, real-life-inspired narrative to Akshaye Khanna’s phenomenal performance and the now-viral dance sequence, the film has remained a constant topic of discussion online since its release.

Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, and R. Madhavan, the film also stars actors like Hirav Mehta in pivotal roles, including that of a member of the BUF (Baloch United Force).

Working on Dhurandhar under the Jio Studios banner alongside Ranveer Singh proved to be a defining moment for Hirav Mehta, significantly expanding his understanding of cinema, scale, and storytelling beyond the television space. The experience refined his approach to performance and strengthened his commitment to cinematic authenticity.

In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Hirav Mehta opened up about his journey in Dhurandhar, sharing insights into working with industry stalwarts, the viral Akshaye Khanna dance scene, and his transition from television to films.

During the candid conversation, Hirav revealed how he landed the role after receiving a call from Mukesh Chhabra’s casting office. Excited by the opportunity, he immediately said yes. Recalling the moment, he said, "It was one of the best feelings, you know, when I got to know what's the what the character is and what I'm going to do. I was really happy."

Praising director Aditya Dhar, Hirav described him as a filmmaker with absolute clarity about his vision. "So Aditya Dhar is one of the best directors out there," he added. "The first time I met him, he was so kind, so composed, such a nice and welcoming personality . Whenever an actor comes to him, he will greet him nicely. If you're doing some scene, he will make sure that the actor knows exactly what needs to be done. So narrating the scene or he's giving the actor the things that he needs to do on the camera."

Hirav was a part of the widely discussed scene where Akshaye Khanna walks with his gang and breaks into his now-viral dance moves on the song FA9LA. Speaking about shooting the sequence, Hirav called it an “honour” to share screen space with actors like Akshaye Khanna and Ranveer Singh.

He said, "These are all legends. They are legends because of their acting skills, you know, their craft, Like, all the names that I'm taking Ranveer Singh sir, Akshaye Khanna sir, Sanjay sir, Arjun Rampal and R Madhavan sir. They all are known for their acting, for their personalities."

Elaborating further on the scene’s unexpected viral success, Hirav shared, "So it was one of the best experiences. We all knew the scene is going to look amazing. But no one thought that the scene is going to go that viral. And I just feel that it was God's thing that, that one scene that where I was in part one, got viral. I was so happy and so thankful to God and super grateful. Super grateful."

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Reflecting on the atmosphere on set, Hirav spoke about the distinct presence and energy that both Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna bring. "When Ranveer Singh sir enters the set, he walks in with an aura. He walks in with an energy. So whenever he enters, everybody is, like, super duper excited and everybody becomes instantly happy. And Akshaye Khanna sir has a different kind of aura. He comes on the set, he greets, and then he locks in the character. So he has that kind of a personality," he added.

Summing up his experience, Hirav described working on Dhurandhar as nothing short of transformative. "It was an it was an acting master class," he said.

Hirav then said that his transition from television shows to films was very smooth and although he is loving films, he wants to be the main lead actor in a television daily soap.

Also read: Dhurandhar OTT release: When and where to watch Ranveer Singh's action-spy thriller

Looking ahead, Hirav also spoke about his plans, expressing his desire to explore multiple formats. Along with films and television, he is keen on venturing into the OTT space and is looking forward to working on digital platforms.

However, he clarified that he does not plan to step away from television, reiterating his aspiration to lead a TV show and confidently asserting that his ambition stems from belief rather than overconfidence.