According to Aasif Sheikh, Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar has opened doors for television actors, breaking long-standing barriers faced by those from the small screen by casting Saumya Tandon, Gaurav Gera and Rakesh Bedi in pivotal roles.
Aasif on Dhurandhar’s success
During an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Aasif reflected on how the success of Dhurandhar has had a far-reaching impact on television actors.
“Lekin ek bahut bada breakthrough hua hai yeh Dhurandhar jo hit hui hai. Aap dekhiye usmein kitne TV actors hain… Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera and Saumya Tandon TV actors hain. Sab alag kirdar hai… Yeh TV actors ke liye achi opening hai… Mera manna hai ke sabne successfully acha kaam kiya hai. Phele ek barrier tha ke yeh TV actor hai, OTT mein toh aaj tak log bolte hain ke aap TV actor hain (A very big breakthrough has happened with Dhurandhar becoming a hit. If you look at it, there are so many TV actors in it… Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera and Saumya Tandon are all television actors),” Aasif said.
It translates to, “A very big breakthrough has happened with Dhurandhar becoming a hit. If you look at it, there are so many TV actors in it… Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera and Saumya Tandon are all television actors. They are all different characters… This is a good opening for TV actors. I believe everyone has done a good job successfully. Earlier, there was a barrier that they are TV actors; even today on OTT, people still say that you are a TV actor…”
Aasif continued, “Aur main aapse dawe ke saath keh sakta hun ke we are much more efficient, much more committed, much more serious and sincere. Kyunki humare upbringing hui iss tarahn hui hai ke humme apjne aapna kaam finish karna hai aur kaam ke saath kabhi compromise nahi karte. Toh whatsoever, it is an unsaid rule that we have to give our best.”
It translates to, “And I can say this with confidence that we are much more efficient, much more committed, much more serious and sincere. That’s because our upbringing has been such that we are taught to finish our work and never compromise on it. So, whatever the situation, it is an unspoken rule that we have to give our best.”
In Dhurandhar, Saumya is seen in the role of Akshaye Khanna‘s wife. Akshaye Khanna is seen as a ruthless gangster. Rakesh is seen as a cunning politician, while Gaurav is seen as a spy working with Ranveer Singh.
Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar follows the story of an Indian spy named Hamza, who infiltrates Pakistan deeply to join Rehman Dakait’s gang. The second part will be released in theatres on March 19. 2026.
About Aasif Sheikh
Aasif Sheikh’s career spans more than four decades in theatre, television, and film. He made his TV debut in Hum Log in the mid‑1980s and later appeared in serials like Chandrakanta, Yug, and Yes Boss. In cinema, he has had character roles in films such as Karan Arjun, Bharat and various others. His breakout success on TV came with the sitcom Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain, where he was even recognised by the World Book of Records for portraying over 300 characters in a single running show.
