'Drishyam 3' shake-up: Akshaye Khanna exits, Jaideep Ahlawat steps in

Entertainment Dec 29, 2025

Just days before filming was set to start, Akshaye Khanna has unexpectedly left Drishyam 3—even after sharing his excitement and receiving an advance.
He let producer Kumar Mangat Pathak know via text and then went quiet, leaving the team surprised.

What's next for Drishyam 3?

Producer Pathak clarified that money wasn't the issue—Khanna had already settled his fee and was confident about the film's success.
To keep things on track, Jaideep Ahlawat is stepping into the role.
The Hindi version is still set to hit theaters on October 2, 2026, while the Malayalam original has wrapped shooting and is now in post-production.
Both versions are moving forward as planned despite this last-minute switch.