Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna has officially exited Drishyam 3 despite signing an agreement and accepting an advance, the film’s producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has said. The producer accused the actor of withdrawing from the project barely 10 days before the scheduled shoot, calling the move unprofessional and financially damaging for the makers.
Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Pathak said Khanna had been finalised for the film after several rounds of negotiations, following which a formal agreement was signed. According to the producer, the actor later raised concerns about wearing a wig for the role, a request that was declined by director Abhishek Pathak due to continuity issues, as Drishyam 3 is a direct sequel.
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Pathak said Khanna initially agreed with the director’s reasoning but later revived the demand after advice from his associates. Despite the director expressing willingness to discuss the matter again, the actor eventually chose to step away from the project.
Producer links exit to post-Dhurandhar success
The producer further claimed that Khanna’s stance changed after the box office success of Dhurandhar, in which the actor played a key antagonist. Pathak alleged that Khanna credited the film’s performance largely to himself, overlooking the ensemble cast and scale of the project.
“It’s important to understand that Drishyam is led by Ajay Devgn. Dhurandhar is Ranveer Singh’s film. Ensemble successes cannot be treated as solo stardom,” Pathak said, adding that losses were incurred as costumes had already been prepared and schedules locked.
Also Read | Dhurandhar box office Day 20: Ranveer Singh starrer storms past ₹600 crore in India
He also revealed that Khanna had been paid an advance before backing out, prompting the production team to issue a legal notice. According to Pathak, no response has been received so far.
The producer confirmed that Jaideep Ahlawat has since been cast in the role originally meant for Khanna.
Drishyam 3, starring Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Shriya Saran, is slated for release on October 2, 2026.
