Akshaye Khanna’s last‑minute exit forces Drishyam 3 rewrite; Pathak calls for exit rules

In Mumbai, director, producer and writer Abhishek Pathak revealed that the sudden withdrawal of Akshaye Khanna from the third installment of the “Drishyam” franchise forced a last‑minute rewrite of his character. Khanna, who had played IG Tarun Ahlawat in “Drishyam 2”, left the project only seven days before the scheduled start of filming, prompting Pathak and his team to replace him with actor Jaideep Ahlawat and re‑imagine the role entirely.

Pathak said the pressure of pulling the plug on a lead actor so close to the shoot was immense. He explained that an independent director might have stepped back and delayed the production, but he felt compelled to keep the schedule intact to avoid further delays and financial losses. “I cannot say I can’t do it. It’s so much pressure, stress, I can’t handle it,” he told PTI, noting that the crew’s livelihoods were at stake and that many workers earn only Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 a day.

His father, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak, has sent a legal notice to Khanna for breach of contract. The notice cites that Khanna had been briefed on the full script, signed the agreement, received the signing fee, and even embraced Pathak before the controversy erupted. Yet, just before the release of “Dhurandhar”, Khanna texted that he no longer wanted to be part of “Drishyam 3”.

With the new lead, Jaideep Ahlawat, the film’s third chapter sees him portray SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, who hunts down Vijay Salgaonkar and his family. Pathak expressed confidence that Ahlawat’s strong performances in shows like “Jaane Jaan”, “Three of Us” and “Paatal Lok” would bring fresh energy to the story, even as he rewrote the character to make it more distinctive and powerful.

Pathak called for industry rules to prevent actors from abruptly exiting projects just before shooting. He argued that such departures jeopardise the lives of crew members who have planned their finances around the shoot dates. “There has to be a rule where you cannot just step out once you wish because you didn’t feel right about something,” he said, urging the industry to find a solution that protects all parties involved.