THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Mumbai, Dec 27: Film producer Kumar Mangat Pathak on Saturday said a legal notice has been sent to actor Akshaye Khanna for allegedly backing out of Drishyam 3 despite having signed an agreement and accepted an advance payment, calling the actor’s exit a breach of contract that has disrupted the film’s schedule.
Pathak said Khanna informed the makers of his decision to withdraw through a text message, after which he stopped responding to calls and messages. With the shoot already affected, the producers decided to sign Jaideep Ahlawat on Friday to avoid further losses.
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According to Pathak, the agreement with Khanna was finalised last month after detailed discussions, and the actor was paid an advance. He said the team had been developing Drishyam 3 for nearly two years and that Khanna was fully aware of the project and had approved the script.
Pathak stated that the actor’s remuneration was negotiated multiple times and that Khanna was eventually paid “whatever fees he had asked for,” which he said was “three times more than Drishyam 2.”
The producer said extensive discussions were also held over Khanna’s look for the film. He recalled that the actor wanted to wear a wig, but the makers felt it would not appear authentic. Pathak said Khanna later agreed, and the agreement was signed at his Alibaug farmhouse, where he had expressed confidence that it would be “a ₹500 crore film.”
Pathak said the sudden withdrawal came “a day or two before the release of Dhurandhar,” after which Khanna ceased all communication. “He messaged saying, ‘I’m not doing the film’,” Pathak said, adding that repeated attempts to contact him failed.
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The producer said a legal notice was sent last week asking Khanna to honour the agreement, warning that legal action would follow if he failed to comply. “It’s been a week he has not responded,” Pathak said, adding that the production team is now considering its next legal steps.
He said work on Khanna’s costumes and look had already been completed and shooting had begun on December 18 at YRF Studios. Khanna had reportedly committed dates till March, and the producers are now “suffering losses,” which led to Jaideep Ahlawat being brought on board.
Describing the episode as “disappointing,” Pathak said he had previously worked with Khanna on Aakrosh and Section 375 and that they had “never had any differences” earlier. He also claimed that Khanna, once media-shy, now appears frequently in public and alleged that “there’s a paid campaign happening,” adding that the success of Dhurandhar appears to have “gone to his head.”
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Directed by Abhishek Pathak and presented by Star Studios, Drishyam 3 stars Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar, with Tabu reprising her role as Meera Deshmukh. Khanna had played IG Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2. The film is slated for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.
Khanna and his team are yet to respond to the prevailing situation.
