"Is that Rahman Dakait?" Akshaye Khanna’s 'Mahakali' look gets fans comparing

• From gangster to Asura guru, Akshaye Khanna in Mahakali
• Khanna gets a dramatic makeover
• Fans debate his restrained style
• Social media asks: same expression?
• First glimpse arrives August 24

Akshaye Khanna has gone from playing a feared underworld figure to the guru of the Asuras—and Bollywood fans are already asking whether he can leave his most recent character behind.

The actor's first look as Shukracharya in Mahakali was unveiled on August 19, giving audiences a glimpse of a dramatically transformed Khanna. He plays the powerful guru of the Asuras in filmmaker Prasanth Varma's mythological film, part of the cinematic universe that began with Hanu-Man. The first glimpse of Mahakali is scheduled for August 24.

On paper, the role could hardly be further from Rehman Dakait, Khanna's character in Dhurandhar. But that is precisely what makes the casting interesting.

Khanna's performance in Dhurandhar won substantial praise, with critics including The Hindu's Anuj Kumar describing the film as being “Moored by a charismatic Akshaye Khanna and a brooding Ranveer Singh.”

Yet the internet has not been unanimous.

Social media reacts on his first look

Some viewers have questioned whether Khanna's highly controlled performance has started to look repetitive. One Reddit commenter wrote: “Forget his monotonous looks. But he never displayed any shred of intelligence in the entire movie.”

Another viewer offered a more specific criticism: “He had the same expression for so much of the movie, and the ‘look down and look intense’ was too dramatically done.”

And another bluntly argued: “Making the same expression in different movies is not acting.”

The criticism isn't entirely new. A Reddit discussion about Khanna's career argued that he had “a peculiar style of acting that was monotonous,” while acknowledging his strengths in earlier films.

But there is an equally vocal defense of the actor. One viewer argued that Khanna's performance works precisely because it is understated, writing: “What is great about his acting is how he can convey so much through slight changes from his eyes.”

That divide makes Mahakali particularly intriguing.

The first reaction to his Shukracharya look has so far leaned heavily positive. One fan wrote, “Can't wait for this one ...Reason -Akshaye Khanna and Hindu mythology which really fascinates me.” Another predicted, “Akshaye khanna looks like he's about to deliver a masterpiece again.” A separate reaction called the reveal “Goosebumps” territory and said they could not wait to see Khanna in the avatar.

Will the audience still the same character energy?

So the question isn't whether Khanna can command attention. He clearly can.

The bigger question for Mahakali is whether he can change the conversation about his acting.

Shukracharya is not another gangster, cop or contemporary power broker. He is a mythological strategist and the guru of the Asuras—a character whose authority can come from knowledge, mysticism and spiritual power rather than physical intimidation.

That gives Khanna an unusual opportunity.

If audiences see a radically different performance, Mahakali could silence the “same expression” criticism. If the same restrained stare, clipped delivery and intimidating stillness follow him into mythology, the jokes about Rahman Dakait refusing to leave may only get louder.

It is the actor's next audition for himself.