Akshaye Khanna has been the man of the hour amid the mega success of Dhurandhar, followed by the controversy over his walking out of Drishyam 3 over remuneration. Several old videos and interviews of the actor have resurfaced since. In one video that has been making the rounds again, Akshaye Khanna highlights how nepotism works in securing the initial opportunity to become an actor.
Akshaye Khanna On Bagging Right Opportunities
In a 2020 interview with Hindustan Times, Akshaye Khanna said, "Wanting to be an actor and getting the opportunity are two different things. Millions of people want to be an actor."
When asked what works, then, in securing the initial opportunity, Akshaye candidly replied, "Nepotism-that works."
Akshaye Khanna's Latest Controversy On Quitting Drishyam 3
Buoyed by the success of Dhurandhar, Akshaye Khanna reportedly pushed for a significant fee hike and creative changes to his look for Drishyam 3. The makers, already deep into planning Ajay Devgn's 2026 release, resisted the demands, leading to a stalemate.
Earlier this week, NDTV confirmed that Dhurandhar star Akshaye Khanna has left Drishyam 3, days after the makers announced the film's release date. In a new update, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak of Panorama Studios has confirmed that Jaideep Ahlawat has replaced Akshaye Khanna in the upcoming third installment of the Hindi version of Drishyam 3.
In a conversation with NDTV, Mangat shared that Akshaye Khanna's remuneration-which is said to be the reason for his walking out of the project-was negotiated thrice. Following this, Akshaye reportedly stopped responding to phone calls altogether. Furthermore, he added that his production company is in the process of sending a legal notice to Akshaye Khanna.
Kumar Mangat went on to share more details on what led to Akshaye Khanna's sudden decision. The producer elaborated that there were certain differences related to Akshaye Khanna's hairstyle for his character, IG Tarun Ahlawat, in Drishyam 3. Mangat concluded that his team tried to sort out the differences after discussions, but Akshaye has allegedly stopped taking calls at this point.
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