Casting director Mukesh Chhabra recently received praise for his work on Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar. He is also the casting director of Ramayana. In a recent interview with News18, Mukesh spoke about the negativity surrounding both films and slammed the growing troll culture.
Mukesh Chhabra on negativity around Ramayana and Dhurandhar
Talking about Ramayana and Dhurandhar facing trolling and negativity on social media, he said, “The negativity is a bit too much these days. I don’t know ki yeh sab kaun karwaata hai, kaise karwaata hai (Who all make this happen and how). People tend to overjudge. I don’t know why. It can happen to anyone these days. This troll culture has gained ground but I can’t really do anything to stop that. I feel bad for everyone.”
Recently, when Ramayana’s teaser was released, it faced criticism for its VFX, and some even criticised Ranbir’s look as Lord Rama. Talking about how Dhurandhar also faced negativity before its release, he said, “The moment they see a glimpse of a film, they start reacting. But you know what’s the best part? These trolls immediately disappear the moment a film releases. I feel both bad and scared because people can say anything about anyone today. When Dhurandhar was about to release, there was negative chatter online but everyone believed in the film. The audience is very, very smart.”
Mukesh further said that the percentage of trolls on social media is very small. He added that while there was an initial wave of negativity, the love that poured in after the release far surpassed it. He also stated that a good film cannot be stopped. Before Dhurandhar The Revenge’s release, the film was surrounded by negative buzz, raising concerns about its box office performance after the paid preview screenings were cancelled due to technical glitches. After its release, too, the film faced criticism over some of its scenes, which Aditya later clarified were generated by AI and were not a part of the film.
Mukesh further expressed his wish to see Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor star together in a film, adding that it would be the “biggest film of the country.”
About Dhurandhar and Ramayana
Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller, starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role, was labelled as propaganda. However, it still emerged as a blockbuster. The two-part film has earned over ₹3,000 crore as a franchise, with the second part continuing its run at the box office. The film also stars Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Rakesh Bedi in key roles.
Ramayana, on the other hand, is one of the most anticipated films of 2026. Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film stars Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, Ravie Dubey as Lakshman and Yash as Ravana. The film is scheduled to release in two parts, with the first part arriving in theatres on Diwali 2026 and the second on Diwali 2027.