'Drishyam 3': Director breaks silence on Akshaye Khanna's sudden exit
What's the story
Akshaye Khanna's surprising exit from Drishyam 3 has been making headlines for a while now. The film's director, Abhishek Pathak, recently opened up about the controversy. He confirmed that Jaideep Ahlawat will not be replacing Khanna and instead, he is writing a new character for the film. This comes after producer Kumar Mangat Pathak recently slammed Khanna's "unprofessional behavior" and called him "toxic."
Actor's response
'He left it on me completely': Pathak on Devgn's reaction
Pathak also shared how the film's lead, Ajay Devgn, has reacted to Khanna's exit. He told The Times of India, "He left it on me completely. Anyway, it's more about me, Akshaye, and the production." "All this happened after the contract was signed in November. He left the movie five days before it was going on the floors." "The look was locked, costumes were getting made...he loved the story," Pathak said.
Disagreement details
Pathak explained the disagreement over Khanna's character
Pathak elaborated on the first disagreement with Khanna, which was over his character's hairstyle. Khanna, who was bald in the second part, allegedly wanted to wear a wig in the threequel. Pathak said, "My film starts from the point where it ended. I couldn't have him in the courtroom in the afternoon...and in the evening, he comes back with hair." "A few days later, this came up again, and that's when we said we would work it out," he added.
Reumneration
Director reveals actor's pay wasn't a problem
Explaining that there were no issues with the actor's remuneration, Pathak said, "I do not want to talk about the amount we eventually locked." "Yes, the commercials were revisited, but we somehow worked it out and reached a figure that was mutually agreed upon." "I think it's just that people around him started telling him that he'll become a superstar [after Dhurandhar] and he should now look at something which is all about him."
Cast change
'Drishyam 3' cast and release date
With Khanna's exit, Ahlawat will be joining the film in a new role. The film, a direct sequel to Drishyam 2, is scheduled to release on October 2, 2026. It also stars Tabu and Rajat Kapoor in key roles. Meanwhile, Mangat Pathak has revealed that he has sent a legal notice to Khanna and is awaiting his response.