With Race 4 in development, online chatter has suggested that Akshaye Khanna could return to the franchise. Producer Ramesh Taurani has now shut that down, saying the actor has not been approached for the film.
What the producer said
In an interview, published on January 18, 2026, Taurani said: “No, we have not approached Akshaye. There was no scope at all.”
When asked if the storyline could be reworked to bring him back, Taurani ruled it out, adding: “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.”
Cast rumours, clarified
Taurani also addressed speculation around other names linked to the project. On reports suggesting Saif Ali Khan and/or Sidharth Malhotra are confirmed, he said: “No cast has been finalised till now. The work on the script is on.”
Where the franchise stands
The Race series has seen major casting changes across instalments: Race 2 brought in John Abraham as the antagonist, while Race 3 featured a different lead lineup.
Bottom line
For now, the only confirmed update is the producer’s denial: Akshaye Khanna is not in talks for Race 4, and no cast announcement is official yet as scripting continues.
—By Manoj H