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Exclusive | Is Akshaye Khanna returning for Race 4? Producer Ramesh Taurani clears the air

Amid rising anticipation for actor Akshaye Khanna's films, producer Ramesh Taurani denies his return to the Race franchise.

Published on: Jan 18, 2026, 18:23:05 IST
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Post Dhurandhar's success, buzz is at an all-time high around actor Akshaye Khanna's upcoming slate of films. His portrayal of Rehman Dakait and his iconic dance steps won him massive popularity, fueling constant speculation about what he will choose next. And the latest one suggests his return to the popular Race franchise.

Ramesh Taurani (L) A still from Race (2008) (R)
Ramesh Taurani (L) A still from Race (2008) (R)

The fourth instalment in the action-thriller franchise is currently in the works. And it was speculated that Akshaye and Saif Ali Khan, the original leads of Race, would return. However, it's not true.

Also read: Race 4: Sidharth Malhotra to join Saif Ali Khan? Angry netizens say ‘it’s official, will be a flop’

Producer Ramesh Taurani clarifies to HT City, "No, we have not approached Akshaye. There was no scope at all."Asked if there is a thought to somehow rework the plot to get him back, he maintains, "There is no thought about getting him. His character gets into an accident in the first movie, his track ended there, and it will remain at that."

Race 2 (2013) had roped in John Abraham as the antagonist, while Race 3 (2018) had removed Saif and brought in Salman Khan in the lead role.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rishabh Suri

Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.

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