Bollywood actor Rakesh Bedi witnessed a renewed wave of popularity after earning critical acclaim for his performance in Dhurandhar: The Revenge in March this year. The veteran actor is currently seen in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. His co-star, Chunky Panday, recently recalled how Rakesh would often speak about Dhurandhar during the film’s shoot and could hardly contain his excitement about the project.
Rakesh Bedi talked about Dhurandhar during Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai shoot
Speaking to ETimes, Chunky fondly described Rakesh as “cute” and reminisced about their time together in Scotland while filming Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. He shared that they would often visit pubs together and spend hours chatting. Recalling Rakesh’s enthusiasm for Dhurandhar, Chunky said, “He was so excited about it. I’m so happy for him today. While we were shooting in Scotland, he kept telling me how special the film was. He didn’t reveal the story, but he kept saying that the director had created a beautiful world. You could see the excitement in his eyes.”
Chunky added that he did not shy away from praising Rakesh after watching his performance in Dhurandhar and said, “I’ve always had a great rapport with him. He’s one of the most lovable souls in the industry. I called him immediately after watching it. One and two, both! I was so excited for him because he was fantastic in it.”
Rakesh Bedi in Dhurandhar
Rakesh essayed the role of an Indian agent, Jameel Jamali, who becomes a politician in Pakistan after being sent to infiltrate the country’s political establishment. Several of his dialogues, especially “Baccha hai tu mera (you are my child),” went viral on social media. The actor received praise not only from critics but also from audiences.
Helmed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar is a two-part film that also stars Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt. The first part, released in December 2025, emerged as a massive box-office success, collecting over ₹1,300 crore worldwide. The second part built on that momentum and emerged as the second-highest-grossing Indian film ever, with a worldwide collection of over ₹1,800 crore.
About Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai
The romantic comedy, directed by David Dhawan, received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences, with many criticising its dated humour. Starring Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur in the lead roles, the film recorded a single-digit opening at the domestic box office ( ₹7.50 crore net on Day 1), making it one of Varun’s lowest openings to date.