Akshaye Khanna quits Drishyam 3: Dhurandhar has been Akshaye Khanna’s second blockbuster this year. After a fiery box office streak, Dhurandhar entered the Rs 1000 crore club in an impressive domination of over 20 days at the big screen. Amid this, Akshaye Khanna, the actor behind Rahman Dakait, called it quits with Ajay Devgn’s superhit Drishyam franchise. Scheduled for an October 2026 release, Khanna was set to play IG Tarun Ahlawat.
As per a Bollywood Hungama report, Drishyam producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has shared that a legal notice is set to be issued against Khanna. After the call, Khanna reportedly stopped taking calls, despite having negotiated his contract thrice. With the process of legal action underway, fans are wary as to who will play the role now.
Why did Akshaye Khanna quit Drishyam 3?
Returning on October 2, Drishyam 3 was set to release the comeback of the mystery of the Salgaonkar family. But, as per an NDTV report, Khanna’s remuneration was the foremost reason for his walking out on the project. Several reports claim that after Dhurandhar’s fiery success, he allegedly demanded Rs 21 crore for the role. The whopping amount, reportedly, was not something the makers approved of, despite the repetitive revisions of his contract.
“Akshaye was menacing as the villain in Chhaava, while he stole the show, and how, in Dhurandhar. He has become the next big thing. Realising the same, he decided to revise his fees. Accordingly, he asked for Rs 21 crore from the makers of Drishyam 3,” quoted a Bollywood Hungama report.
Fans loved Khanna’s now-viral look on social media. From his wavy hair in FA9LA to his effortlessly villainous charm, one thing that stood out was his hair. A part of his personality in real life and on the sets of Drishyam, the actor reportedly wanted to sport a wig. However, with the well-established and intense investigation in Drishyam 2, the makers were against this whim of the actor.
Who will replace Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3?
Paatal Lok actor Jaideep Ahlawat will likely debut in the franchise as IG Tarun after Khanna’s exit from Drishyam 3. An intense character with a small-town charm, Ahlawat’s cop-like aura is set to be received well among the fans. His earthy image made him a popular face on OTT screens. This will be one of his biggest Bollywood roles. Interestingly, Akshaye Khanna’s exit was preceded by Ranveer Singh’s farewell to Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3 after the immense success of Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller. However, he is likely to partner with a South superstar director, fortifying his status as the true blockbuster king of Indian cinema.