Dhurandhar Casting Director Mukesh Chhabra Enters Tollywood

Renowned casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who earned acclaim for assembling the perfect ensemble in the blockbuster Dhurandhar, has now been roped in for the Telugu pan-India film India House.

“Yes, we have signed Mukesh Chhabra for our pan-India project,” confirms producer Abhishek Agarwal. “His casting choices in Dhurandhar, especially actors like R Madhavan and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles, clearly showcased his deep understanding of cinema,” he adds. 

Chhabra comes with a 40-member casting team that thoroughly studies the script before branching out across languages to find the right performers. “Getting the right actor for a meaty role is one of the toughest tasks in filmmaking, but Mukesh makes it look effortless. His team breaks down the script, identifies key characters, does extensive homework and then zeroes in on the most suitable actors,” the producer explains. 

Interestingly, Mukesh Chhabra began his journey as a director before establishing himself as one of India’s most sought-after casting directors. He gained massive recognition with the hugely successful web series Scam 1992, followed by Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, and also handled casting for Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki. “He is extremely talented, and working with him is hassle-free,” says Agarwal.

Although Tollywood has its own pool of casting directors, the makers chose Chhabra keeping the film’s wider reach in mind. “Since we plan to release India House extensively across the Hindi heartland, Mukesh was the ideal choice,” he adds. 

India House is a period drama set in 1905 during the pre-Independence era. Directed by Ram Vamsi Krishna, the film stars Nikhil Siddhartha, Saiee Manjrekar and veteran actor Anupam Kher. The story unfolds in London and revolves around a passionate love story set against intense political unrest, centered on the historic India House—a nerve centre for Indian revolutionaries in Britain.

“The theme is universal, blending love and patriotism—emotions that resonate across India,” the producer says. When asked about reports of the film’s budget crossing ₹85 crore, Agarwal remained guarded but hinted, “It will be one of the costliest films from Tollywood with strong pan-India appeal. I believe in telling untold stories, not formula-driven commercial films.”