Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar continues to rewrite box office history, and its massive success has now sparked fresh conversations about the future of pan-India cinema. The Ranveer Singh-led film recently crossed yet another major milestone, surpassing the lifetime collections of RRR and securing its place among the highest-grossing Indian films ever. Amid the celebrations, filmmaker Rohit Shetty offered an interesting perspective on what truly drives the success of large-scale, cross-industry films.
Speaking at a recent public event, Shetty was asked whether he would consider directing a pan-India film featuring actors from multiple regional industries. While such projects are often associated with massive budgets and spectacle, Shetty’s response shifted the focus elsewhere.
“I’ll think about it,” he said, before adding a condition that immediately caught attention: the project would only happen if casting director Mukesh Chhabra was involved. Pointing to Chhabra’s work on Dhurandhar, Shetty suggested that the foundation of any successful pan-India film begins not with scale, but with casting.
Shetty’s remarks echoed his earlier praise for Dhurandhar. In December, he took to Instagram to congratulate the team behind the film, describing it as a landmark achievement. In his post, he wrote, “TAKE A BOW ADITYA DHAR AND TEAM… YOU HAVE CREATED A MONSTER… RANVEER MERE BHAI… ‘APNA TIME AAGAYA’… HAPPY TO SEE AKSHAYE GETTING THE LOVE AND RESPECT AS AN ACTOR HE DESERVED FOR YEARS… YOUR JOURNEY FROM URI TO DHURANDHAR AS A PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR IS INSPIRING.”
The message highlighted both the performances and the production journey, positioning Dhurandhar as a major turning point in contemporary Indian cinema. While the film’s box office numbers speak for themselves, Shetty’s comments placed equal emphasis on the creative decisions behind the scenes.
Despite the buzz, Shetty clarified no concrete plans are currently in motion. His comments were made in response to a question and framed as a possibility rather than an announcement. There is no indication that he is actively developing a pan-India project with a cross-industry cast at this time.
What stood out most from his remarks was the spotlight on Mukesh Chhabra’s role as a casting director. In an industry often focused on stars and scale, Shetty’s comments underscored the importance of thoughtful casting as the backbone of successful storytelling.
As Dhurandhar continues its record-breaking run, the conversation it has sparked may influence how future pan-India films are imagined — starting not with size, but with the right faces in the right roles.
