Who was Rehman Dakait? Karachi gangster portrayed by Akshaye Khanna in ‘Dhurandhar’ who killed his own mother and played football with cut heads

In ‘Dhurandhar’, Ranveer Singh may hold the spotlight as the leading man, yet it’s Akshaye Khanna who’s earning the loudest applause. Playing Rehman Baloch, better known as the terrible Rehman Dakait, the veteran actor breathes life into one of the film’s savage villains. Critics and audiences alike have lauded his gripping performance, though many note that the real Dakait’s dishonor surpassed even Khanna’s chilling rendition on screen.

Rehman Dakait story forms the core of ‘Dhurandhar’

Set against the gritty backdrop of Karachi’s Lyari in the late 2000s, Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ revisits India’s secret offensive against terrorism through a partly fictionalised lens. At the heart of the story is Rehman, portrayed by Akshaye Khanna, a terrifying ganglord who controls Lyari alongside his cousin and trusted aide Uzair Baloch (Danish Pandor). Opposing them from within is Ranveer’s Hamza, an undercover agent who infiltrates Rehman’s network, feeding critical intelligence to India as he works to bring the operation down from the inside.

The real story of Rehman Dakait

Feared across Karachi’s Lyari in the 2000s, Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, better known as Rehman Dakait, built his reputation as one of Pakistan’s most notorious gangsters. Born in 1975, he plunged into crime as a child, selling drugs in Lyari before turning violent in his teens. Reports suggest his first stabbing occurred at just 13. At 19, The Express Tribune noted that Rehman allegedly murdered his mother, a horrific event later copied in ‘Dhurandhar’ with cinematic alterations. By the late ’90s, he had joined Haji Laloo’s gang and seized control after Laloo’s 2001 arrest. Over the next several years, Rehman transformed Lyari into his crime fortress with Uzair Baloch and Baba Ladla as his closest allies. According to The Daily Guardian, the gang’s cruelty reached shocking extremes, with accounts claiming they played football with their victims’ heads to implant fear.

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Rehman Dakait rose to power in Lyari

In August 2009, Rehman was gunned down by the Karachi Police during a government-led operation targeting Lyari’s criminal networks. At the time of his death, he was 34 years old. Following his demise, his cousin Uzair assumed control of the gang and continued its operations.

Rehman Dakait’s violent death ended his criminal empire

Featuring Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and R. Madhavan alongside its leads, ‘Dhurandhar’ brings together a powerhouse ensemble. While critics have offered mixed reactions, the film’s reception among the audience has been far more encouraging. Riding on strong word-of-mouth, it recorded an impressive Rs. 152 crore global gross in its first weekend alone.

Disclaimer: This article draws a comparison between the fictionalized character Rehman Dakait in the film 'Dhurandhar' and the real-life Pakistani gangster Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch. While the film is stated to be inspired by real events and figures, it is a work of fiction and takes significant dramatic liberties for narrative purposes. The depictions in the film should not be taken as an accurate or complete historical account of the real individuals, organizations, or events mentioned. Any cinematic portrayal, including the use of similar names or incidents, is subject to the creative interpretation of the filmmakers.

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