‘What is this?’ Abhishek Pathak recalls Drishyam 3 team’s reaction to Akshaye Khanna’s exit

Abhishek Pathak on Akshaye Khanna`s exit (Pics/X)

Drishyam 3 is among the most anticipated upcoming Hindi films, but Akshaye Khanna's exit from the project continues to remain a talking point. Director Abhishek Pathak has now opened up about the actor's departure and the challenges it created for the team. Jaideep Ahlawat eventually stepped in with a revised role.

Abhishek Pathak on Akshaye's exit

While speaking to Hindustan Times recently, Abhishek Pathak opened up about Akshaye's exit and how it impacted the environment on sets. He shared, "I won't say panic, but we were not happy with the whole idea. I thought, ‘Ye kya tareeka hua (What is this)?'"

Abhishek later reworked the portions that had been written specifically for Akshaye, following which Jaideep Ahlawat came on board as his replacement. He added, "He was kind of replacing a character that had been liked by the audience. I called him, and he asked me, ‘Casting change or character change?' I told him I am changing the character. Then, he read it and found it fun. All that happened within 5-6 days."

The director went on to add, "The tough part was the call to continue, to just tell the team: ‘Hold on, don't cancel anything. We will do it.' I asked for 2-3 days to figure out if we could achieve it. We were seven days away from the shoot when we were to film his scene with Ajay (Devgn) sir."

About Akshaye Khanna's exit

After the twin successes of Dhurandhar and Chhaava, Akshaye Khanna changed his pay to Rs 21 crore. Due to financial restrictions, this did not sit well with the Drishyam 3 makers. Another insider cited by Bollywood Hungama post claimed that Akshaye Khanna's insistence on wearing a wig was another point of disagreement between him and the Drishyam 3 production.

Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak had addressed the issue and accused the actor of unprofessional and "toxic" behaviour. The makers also intended to file a lawsuit against the actor.

Jaideep Ahlawat has now replaced the actor, and his role in the trailer so far has received a positive response. While speaking at the Drishyam: The Conclusion trailer launch, Jaideep Ahlawat reacted to comparisons with Akshaye Khanna, after the latter quit the project. Jaideep says his is a completely different character.