Akshaye Khanna has been making headlines for multiple reasons. On one hand, he has been receiving love and appreciation for his stellar performance in Dhurandhar, where he portrayed Rehman Dakait. He also came under criticism for leaving Drishyam 3 just days before shooting was due to commence, as stated by producer Kumar Mangat Pathak.
Now, director Priyadarshan, who has worked with Akshaye on multiple films, spoke about his on-set behaviour.
What Priyadarshan Said
Revealing that everyone had advised him not to cast Akshaye in Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, Priyadarshan told Mid-Day, "In my first film with Akshaye Khanna, Doli Saja Ke Rakhna (1998), everybody had discouraged me from signing him on. They said he is difficult and moody."
Priyadarshan said he found Akshaye different from what others had told him and described him as very cooperative. Priyadarshan said, "But I fell in love with him from the first film itself. I never found him difficult. If I called him at 5am, he would be there on time. He is a darling, and we've never had a bitter moment together in (the six films we did). He is least bothered by criticism."
The actor-director duo worked on multiple films, including Doli Saja Ke Rakhna, Hulchul, Hungama, among others.
Drishyam 3 Row
Reports suggested that Akshaye Khanna quit Drishyam 3 after the success of Dhurandhar, but talking to The Times of India, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak from Panorama Studios revealed that Akshaye walked out just a day before Aditya Dhar's film was released.
Pathak said he was shocked by the decision because Akshaye had been very excited about the project. After hearing the script, the actor even hugged the director and confidently predicted the film would cross Rs 500 crore.
Speaking to NDTV, Pathak explained that Akshaye's fee was renegotiated three times and denied that money was the main issue. He added that the actor stopped responding to calls after these discussions, which led the studio to begin the process of sending him a legal notice.
The producer also mentioned that a disagreement over the hairstyle of Akshaye's character, IG Tarun Ahlawat, added to the tension. Despite efforts to resolve the matter internally, communication eventually broke down completely.
Also Read: Drishyam 3 Controversy Explained: Akshaye Khanna's Exit, Legal Notice To Jaideep Ahlawat's Entry
