Ajay Devgn will reprise his iconic role as Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam 3, which is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on October 2, 2026, the makers announced on Monday.
Earlier today, NDTV sources confirmed that Akshaye Khanna has walked out of the project over salary issues. A look back at the Drishyam release date announcement post reveals that two days earlier, there was a clue that Akshaye Khanna was not part of the project, as his name was not mentioned in the cast.
Though Akshaye Khanna is not on social media, the caption of the announcement post tagged the cast, with further hashtags added for those not present on social media. Akshaye Khanna's name was, however, missing. There was no glimpse of him in the announcement video either.
About Akshaye Khanna's Role In Drishyam
Akshaye Khanna entered the Drishyam crime thriller franchise with Drishyam 2, which hit theatres in 2022. In the film, he essayed the role of IG Tarun Ahlawat, a close friend and colleague of his predecessor Meera Deshmukh (Tabu).
Akshaye Khanna's Upcoming Projects
Akshaye Khanna is having a great 2025, with the twin successes of his films Chhaava and Dhurandhar. The actor began the year with Chhaava, in which he played Mughal emperor Aurangzeb opposite Vicky Kaushal's Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
In Dhurandhar, he starred as Rehman Dakait, based on the real-life Lyari gangster of the same name. Akshaye Khanna garnered special acclaim and popularity for his dance in the song FA9LA from Dhurandhar, which continues to keep the Internet buzzing. Both Dhurandhar and Chhaava are the highest-earning Indian films of 2025.
Akshaye Khanna will next be seen in Mahakali, which marks his Telugu film debut. He will play Asuraguru Shukracharya in the movie, written by Prasanth Varma of Hanuman fame and directed by Puja Aparna Kolluru. Mahakali is a superhero film that will see Bhoomi Shetty portray the role of Goddess Kali.
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