Ranveer Singh and Sara Arjun, who have a 20-year age gap, raised eyebrows when they were announced as lead actors of Dhurandhar. Now speaking with Free Press Journal, the film’s casting director Mukesh Chhabra has opened up on the details of casting Sara opposite Ranveer.
Dhurandhar casting director talks about Ranveer Singh, Sara Arjun’s age gap
Mukesh said that the age gap was required in the film. “I had got a very clear brief. The story is that he is trying to trap her. So, we knew that we wanted a young girl who is 20-21 years old. And when part 2 comes, whoever is talking about the age gap will get all the answers,” he said.
He added that when he read about the age of the actors, he “was laughing.” “It’s not like we don’t have good actors in that 26-27 years of age group; we have good actors. But this (age gap) was required in the film. Everything you can’t explain to people. When I was also reading about the age gap, I was laughing. According to the film’s brief, it is correct,” he added. Sara was born on June 18, 2005, and Ranveer was born on July 6, 1985.
More about Sara’s projects
Sara appeared in Deiva Thirumagal, the 2011 Tamil film in which she played Vikram’s daughter. Over the years, she appeared in Ek Thi Daayan, Saivam, and Saand Ki Aankh. In 2022, Sara appeared in her most high-profile film role to date – as a young Nandini – in Mani Ratnam’s two-part period epic, Ponniyin Selvan. The two films grossed ₹800 crore worldwide, making it her biggest success.
Aishwarya Rai played Nandini in the epic, with Sara playing her teenage self. According to reports by Siasat and Gulte in 2023, Sara’s net worth in 2022, following the success of her films, was estimated at ₹10 crore, making her the richest child actor in India. After she turned 18, the mantle passed on to Riva Arora.
About Dhurandhar
Dhurandhar follows the story of an Indian spy named Hamza, who infiltrates Pakistan to join Rehman Dakait’s gang. The film is inspired by real-life events, ranging from the 2001 Parliament attack and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, offering audiences an insight into the India-Pakistan conflict.
Besides Ranveer and Sara, the film also features Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, and Rakesh Bedi in key roles. The second part of the film is set to release in theatres next year, on March 19.
