Hyderabad: The makers of Drishyam 3 recently announced that the film will release on October 2, 2026, a date linked to the first film’s significance. Soon after, fans noticed that Akshaye Khanna’s name was missing from the credits list, which sparked fresh speculation about whether he was still part of the project.
Wig demand and last minute exit
Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak said Akshaye was formally signed after multiple rounds of negotiations. “We had signed an agreement with Akshaye Khanna. His fees also got locked after a lot of renegotiations from his side,” he said. Pathak claimed the actor “insisted that he would like to wear a wig,” but director Abhishek Pathak told him it would create continuity issues because Drishyam 3 is a sequel.
Pathak added that Akshaye initially agreed to drop the idea, but later asked again after advice from his team. “However, the chamchas around him advised him that he would look smarter if he donned a wig. So, he again requested the same,” he said, adding that soon after, “he informed us that he doesn’t want to be a part of the film at all.”
‘Dhurandhar’ remark and strong criticism
The producer alleged Akshaye felt he was the key reason behind Dhurandhar’s success. “He told us, ‘Dhurandhar is working because of me’,” Pathak said, while insisting that “multiple factors worked in favour of Dhurandhar.” He also claimed Akshaye’s “success has gone into his head,” and called his on-set energy “absolutely toxic.”
Reports of a fee hike
The story also mentions an earlier report which claimed Akshaye revised his fee to Rs 21 crore after the success of Dhurandhar and Chhaava. The same report said the wig suggestion was another point of disagreement between the actor and the Drishyam 3 team.
Pathak said the exit caused financial losses, and he has already sent a legal notice, adding that a reply is still awaited. He also confirmed that Jaideep Ahlawat has replaced Akshaye Khanna in the film.
As per the report, Drishyam 3 is now moving ahead with the new casting, while Dhurandhar 2 is expected to release on March 19, 2026.
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