The mystery around Akshaye Khanna’s sudden exit from Drishyam 3 has been making headlines for weeks and now director Abhishek Pathak has finally decided to clear the air. After producer Kumar Mangat Pathak earlier hinted at last-minute issues the filmmaker has now shared his side of the story and addressed all the rumours doing the rounds.
The biggest question on everyone’s mind was whether actor Jaideep Ahlawat had replaced Akshaye Khanna in the much-awaited third part of the Drishyam franchise. Setting the record straight Abhishek firmly denied the speculation.

Is Jaideep Ahlawat replacing Akshaye Khanna?
Speaking to Bombay Times Abhishek clarified that Jaideep Ahlawat is not replacing Akshaye’s shoes. “No Jaideep is not replacing Akshaye. I am writing a completely new character” he said putting an end to the rumours.
He also revealed that Ajay Devgn who reprises his role as Vijay Salgaonkar chose to stay away from the controversy. “Ajay left it entirely to me. This matter was between me Akshaye and the production team. He didn’t interfere at all” Abhishek shared.

What actually went wrong behind the scenes?
According to the director everything was in place before things took an unexpected turn. “All this happened after the contract was signed in November. The look was finalised the costumes were ready and the narration had been done. He loved the script” Abhishek explained.
However problems began when discussions around continuity and character appearance came up. “The film picks up exactly from where Drishyam 2 ended. I couldn’t show him clean-shaven in one scene and suddenly with hair in the next. That would break the flow” he said explaining the creative disagreement.

Was money the real issue?
Dismissing rumours about payment disputes Abhishek clarified that finances were not the main problem. “Yes the commercials were discussed again and we even reached a mutually agreed-upon amount. The contract was signed after that. But later things changed” he added.
He also made it clear that the rumours being spread now do not reflect the full truth. “I don’t want to get into blame games but a lot of what’s being said isn’t accurate” he said.

What’s next for Drishyam 3?
Drishyam 3 directed by Abhishek Pathak and headlined by Ajay Devgn is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2 2026. Despite the controversy the makers are moving ahead with the project and promise that the film will live up to the franchise’s strong legacy.
As fans wait eagerly one thing is clear: the drama behind Drishyam 3 is almost as gripping as the story itself.