Aditya Dhar’s new film Dhurandhar brings many real-life figures from Karachi’s violent gangland world to the screen but none stand out as sharply as Rehman Dakait. Played by Akshaye Khanna, the character has drawn attention for his chilling intensity, echoing the terror the real gangster once unleashed on Lyari. Behind the onscreen portrayal lies a story filled with crime, politics, betrayal, and unimaginable brutality.
Who Was Rehman Dakait: The Deadly Gangster from Karachi
Rehman Dakait, born Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, was one of Karachi’s most feared underworld figures during the 1990s and 2000s. Raised in Lyari a neighbourhood known for its deep-rooted gang rivalries Rehman grew up surrounded by violence. His father, Dadal Baloch, had been involved in drug smuggling since the 1960s, and Rehman stepped into the same world at a very young age.
According to accounts from that period, Rehman was barely a teenager when he first committed a violent crime. At just 13, he reportedly stabbed a man, marking the beginning of his reputation as someone who would stop at nothing. Rumours also circulated that he had killed his own mother because she was allegedly linked to a rival gang member a story that added a terrifying layer to his myth.
Dakait’s Empire of Crime and Politics
By his early 20s, Rehman Dakait had become a central figure in Lyari’s gang scene. His group, which later aligned itself with the People’s Aman Committee, operated as both a criminal network and a political force. From drug distribution to extortion, kidnappings, and armed warfare, Rehman’s gang built its own empire parallel to local political structures.
His biggest rival was Arshad Pappu, son of the notorious drug lord Haji Lalu. The clashes between the two gangs plunged Lyari into years of bloodshed. Innocent residents were often caught in the crossfire, turning neighbourhood streets into battlegrounds.
One of the many brutal incidents associated with Rehman involved killing a close associate of Arshad Pappu in broad daylight an event so shocking that it later inspired a sequence in Dhurandhar. Akshaye Khanna’s character attacking a man in the middle of a crowded street traces its roots to this moment of real-life savagery.
Rehman Dakait’s Encounter
Rehman Dakait’s criminal run faced a major interruption in 2005 when he was arrested by senior official Zulfiqar Mirza. But even prison could not contain him for long. He managed to escape custody, returning to his stronghold with even more control than before.
His story ended abruptly in 2009, when he was killed in a police encounter. Even in death, the mystery around him deepened as some people claimed the encounter was staged while others argued it was the only way to stop his growing influence.
Akshaye Khanna’s Portrayal Of Rehman Dakait Overshadowed All Other Characters In Dhurandhar
Director Aditya Dhar uses Dhurandhar to explore the violent, layered world of Lyari’s gangs a world where crime, politics, and power constantly intersect. While the film blends fact with fiction, Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal of Rehman Dakait has become one of its strongest talking points.
The character’s cold intensity, sharp dialogues, and unpredictable rage push viewers to revisit the real man behind the myth. More than a decade after his death, Rehman Dakait remains one of Karachi’s most infamous and debated figures a symbol of a time when the city’s streets were ruled not by the law, but by the gun.
