- Jaideep Ahlawat said his Drishyam 3 character is new, not a replacement for Akshaye Khanna
- Akshaye Khanna exited Drishyam 3 due to disagreements over pay and his character’s look
- Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak denied money was the main reason for Akshaye Khanna’s exit
Jaideep Ahlawat has opened up about stepping into the world of Drishyam. He also shared whether he feels any pressure to be compared with Akshaye Khanna, who played Inspector General (IG) Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2.
Jaideep Ahlawat On 'Replacing' Akshaye Khanna
During the trailer launch of Drishyam 3, Jaideep Ahlawat made it clear that he does not see his character as a replacement for the one played by Akshaye Khanna.
"No, because when I heard the story, it did not feel like I was coming in place of Akshaye sir. A new character is being introduced. There is no point in taking that pressure. As far as comparison is concerned, I don't think you think about that as an actor," Jaideep said.
He further explained that his character will have a different journey in the film.
"The journey is different, the introduction is new, and a new relationship is going to be created with Meera and the Salgaonkar family. So, it is going to be a very individualistic approach to this character. I don't think there was any pressure," he added.
Jaideep also recalled his first reaction when director Abhishek Pathak narrated the story to him. He said he never felt that his character had been brought into the film because of another existing character.
"When Abhishek told me this story, it did not feel like I had come in because of another character. He is completely on his own new journey," the actor said.
Akshaye Khanna Quits Drishyam 3
Akshaye Khanna reportedly demanded Rs 21 crore following the twin successes of Dhurandhar and Chhaava. Another point of contention between Akshaye Khanna and the Drishyam 3 team was his request to wear a wig for his role.
However, disagreements over his remuneration and look led to his exit from Drishyam 3.
Drishyam 3 Producer On Akshaye Khanna's Exit
While reports hinted that Akshaye Khanna walked out of Drishyam 3 after the success of Dhurandhar, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak of Panorama Studios clarified that the actor actually left the project just a day before the release of the Aditya Dhar directorial, in an interview with The Times of India.
Pathak expressed surprise over Akshaye Khanna's decision to exit, recalling that the actor had initially been very enthusiastic about the project. After hearing the script, Akshaye had reportedly hugged the director and confidently predicted that the film would earn over Rs 500 crore.
Speaking to NDTV, Pathak said Akshaye's fee was renegotiated three times and denied that money was the main reason for his exit. He added that the actor stopped responding to calls after these talks, which led Panorama Studios to start the process of sending him a legal notice.
The producer also revealed that disagreements over the hairstyle of Akshaye's character, IG Tarun Ahlawat, contributed to the fallout. He said the team tried to resolve the issue internally, but communication eventually broke down completely.
Backed by Star Studio18 and Panorama Studios, Drishyam is directed by Abhishek Pathak. The film follows Vijay Salgaonkar, a mild-mannered family man who uses his wit to help his family escape the clutches of law after a murder occurs in their house. Alongside Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Sriya Saran will be reprising their roles from the previous films, while Prakash Raj and Jaideep Ahlawat have joined the cast in new roles.
The film will hit the big screens on October 2.
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