Veteran actor Pavan Malhotra fondly recalled that during his struggling days in Mumbai, he and Rakesh Bedi lived in the same building in Santacruz East. If there’s one actor who has emerged as the surprise standout of ‘Dhurandhar’, it’s Rakesh Bedi. The franchise has brought the seasoned actor into the spotlight like never before, which has earned him widespread appreciation from audiences and critics as well.In a conversation with ANI, Pavan Malhotra praised director Aditya Dhar for having the conviction to cast Rakesh Bedi alongside ensemble cast. He expressed immense happiness over Bedi’s recent stardom and revealed that he personally called the actor to congratulate him on the outstanding response.Not just Rakesh Bedi, Pavan also lauded Aditya Dhar’s unique work as a filmmaker. He also highlighted his work across projects such as ‘Baramulla’, ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, ‘Article 370’, and the ‘Dhurandhar’ franchise.“Aditya Dhar ki conviction dekhiye—film mein star Ranveer (Singh) tha, Sanjay (Dutt) tha. Phir bhi unhe Rakesh Bedi chahiye tha us role ke liye. Aditya Dhar tapped Rakesh Bedi’s potential in Dhurandhar,” Pavan Malhotra told ANI.He also recalled that during his early years in Mumbai, he and Rakesh Bedi used to live in the same building in Santacruz East.David Dhawan, Rakesh Bedi, and Raman Kumar used to live on the ground floor. Sudhir Mishra and I lived on the second floor,” he said.He added that he worked as an assistant director on the 1984 popular sitcom Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, in which Rakesh Bedi played a pivotal role. He also said Rakesh Bedi is one of the nicest people he has ever met.Going by the stories doing the rounds online, Rakesh Bedi was a real-life Dhurandhar. Raised in Karol Bagh, he completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Andrews Ganj, in Delhi. Having grown up in a middle-class family, he followed a set family pattern: study hard, crack IIT, and secure a stable income. But Bedi realized that stability without passion was not enough for him.He appeared for the IIT entrance exam, answered 7 out of 39 questions, and left midway. After leaving the exam hall, he went straight to theater rehearsal.

Rakesh Bedi in ‘Dhurandhar’ and his other work

In ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Dhurandhar 2’, Rakesh Bedi played the scheming politician Jameel Jamali. With witty one-liners and impeccable comic timing, Jameel Jamali stole the limelight alongside Ranveer Singh.Rakesh Bedi has an illustrious television career. He appeared in shows like ‘Shrimaan Shrimati’, ‘Yeh Duniya Ghazab Ki’, ‘Sumit Sambhal Lega’, ‘Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!’, and ‘Sahib Biwi Aur Boss’, to name a few. His notable films include ‘Chashme Buddoor’, ‘Anand Aur Anand’, ‘Betaaj Badshah’, and ‘Bewafa Sanam’, to name a few.