The Hindi remake of Mohanlal's Drishyam 3 was expected to move into full swing after its formal announcement, but the project has instead landed in controversy. Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak of Panorama Studios has opened up about the circumstances under which Akshaye Khanna exited the third instalment.
He Stepped Down Before Dhurandhar Released
In an interview with The Times of India, Pathak revealed that Akshaye Khanna walked out of Drishyam 3 just a day before the release of Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, a film that went on to receive massive praise for the actor's performance. Pathak said the decision took him by surprise, especially as the actor had been enthusiastic about Drishyam 3 after hearing the narration.
The producer recalled that Akshaye had hugged the director following the script session and confidently predicted that the film would cross the Rs 500 crore mark. According to Pathak, the actor had already been paid an advance after finalising his remuneration, which was agreed upon after multiple discussions.
Yet, less than two weeks before the team was set to begin shooting, Pathak received a message from Akshaye stating that he was leaving the film. Attempts to reach him afterwards, he said, were unsuccessful.
Reacting sharply to the episode, Pathak remarked, "At least walk out graciously. How can you not respond to calls and messages?"
Legal Notice, Hairstyle Dispute, And A New Face For Tarun Ahlawat
Speaking separately to NDTV, Pathak added that Akshaye's remuneration had been negotiated three times and denied claims that payment was the primary reason for the exit. He further alleged that the actor stopped answering calls altogether after these discussions, prompting Panorama Studios to initiate the process of sending him a legal notice.
The producer also disclosed that creative differences over the hairstyle of Akshaye's character, IG Tarun Ahlawat, played a role in the fallout. While the team attempted to resolve the matter internally, he claimed that communication eventually broke down completely.
Akshaye Khanna had joined the franchise in 2022 as Tarun Ahlawat, an ally of Tabu's IG Meera Deshmukh in her relentless pursuit of Ajay Devgn's Vijay Salgaonkar. With his departure now confirmed, Jaideep Ahlawat has been brought on board to take over the role.