Actor Jaideep Ahlawat has been cast in a role that was previously set to be played by Akshaye Khanna in Ajay Devgn’s Hindi version of Drishyam 3.
Khanna, who recently scored a major hit with Dhurandhar, has reportedly stepped away from Drishyam 3 following financial and creative disagreements with the filmmakers.
The makers have since issued a legal notice to Khanna for breach of agreement, adding that the actor communicated his exit through a text message, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak told PTI.
“We were working on Drishyam 3 for two years and Akshaye was aware of this. We had narrated the entire script to him and he had liked it. Before signing the agreement, we negotiated on his acting fee thrice and only after it was okay for both of us, we signed the agreement and gave him the signing amount,” Pathak said.
“We also went a little back and forth for his look in the film, like he wanted to wear a wig and we told him that it would not look authentic if we suddenly gave his character a new look. He agreed to it and then we signed the agreement at his farmhouse in Alibaug, where he hugged Abhishek (director) and even said, ‘This is going to be a Rs. 500 crores film’,” Pathak further said.
“But one day, he messaged saying, ‘I’m not doing the film’ and when he tried to reach out to him, he did not respond to calls and messages. His message came a day or two before the release of Dhurandhar,” Pathak added.
Dhurandhar has earned over Rs 1,000 crore worldwide since its release.
Pathak further stated that significant work had already been done on Khanna’s character in Drishyam 3, including costumes and look tests, and that filming had begun on 18 December at YRF Studios.
According to Pathak, Khanna had committed dates until March, and his exit has resulted in financial losses to the production banner, prompting the makers to cast Jaideep Ahlawat in the role.
Drishyam 3, slated for a theatrical release on 2 October 2026, will see Ajay Devgn reprise his role as Vijay Salgaonkar. The film also marks the return of Shriya Saran as Vijay’s wife and Tabu as IG Meera Deshmukh. Abhishek Pathak returns to the director’s chair.
All three Drishyam films are based on the Malayalam eponymous film franchise, which stars Mohanlal. Earlier this year, the actor reunited with filmmaker Jeethu Joseph for the third instalment of the film.
Drishyam follows the story of Vijay Salgaonkar, a resident of Goa who runs a video tape store. He goes to great lengths to protect his wife and daughter after they accidentally get involved in a crime.
The film revolves around his clever efforts to cover up the incident, outsmarting the police and those around him while keeping his family’s secret safe. It is a gripping thriller about deceit, morality, and the lengths one will go to for loved ones.
Drishyam was released in 2015, followed by Drishyam 2 in 2022.