Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi is reaping the rewards of the blockbuster success of Aditya Dhar‘s Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026), starring Ranveer Singh. Known for his impeccable comic timing and vast body of work, the actor has witnessed a fresh surge in popularity with the franchise.It has now emerged that the makers went a step further to reward him for his standout performance.
‘He completely won over the audience’
The report revealed that Bedi’s portrayal of Jameel Jamali struck a chord with viewers.“As Jameel Jamali, Rakesh Bedi impressed, entertained and completely won over the audience. His dialogues have become immortal in the meme world, while the twist surrounding his character in the sequel further amplified his impact. The producers were deeply touched by the hard work he put into making the character so memorable. As a token of gratitude, they decided to pay him additional remuneration,” those in the know shared.
Rs 50 lakh fee turns into Rs 1 crore reward
According to the source, the actor had originally been paid Rs 50 lakh for both films combined. However, after the massive success of the sequel, director-producer Aditya Dhar, along with his brother and partner Lokesh Dhar, surprised him with a Rs 1 crore cheque.“Rakesh Bedi was paid Rs 50 lakhs for Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar The Revenge. After the release of the second part and its historic success, Aditya Dhar, along with Lokesh Dhar, handed him a cheque of Rs 1 crore. In short, it was double the fee he had charged for the franchise,” they added.
‘A rare gesture in the industry’
The gesture hasn’t gone unnoticed.“With the Dhurandhar series and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), Aditya Dhar has already proved that he is a one-of-a-kind filmmaker. With this gesture, he has also shown that he is a one-of-a-kind human being. It is rare for any producer to make such a generous move,” they said.
About the Dhurandhar franchise
The Dhurandhar franchise features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, and Sara Arjun.The first film followed a spy infiltrating Pakistan’s mafia and political system, while the sequel took the story forward as he continued his mission. Rakesh Bedi’s Jameel Jamali—a shrewd politician from Pakistan’s Awami Party—emerged as one of the most memorable characters in the franchise.
