‘No, Jaideep is not replacing Akshaye’: Amid rumors of Akshaye Khanna’s exit from 'Drishyam 3', Abhishek Pathak clarifies about Jaideep Ahlawat casting in ‘new role’

The public remains fascinated by Akshaye Khanna's unexpected departure from 'Drishyam 3' which has become the main topic of discussion in the entertainment industry. The production debate started when producer Kumar Mangat Pathak revealed that the actor left the project at the final stage, which led to speculation about casting changes and the reasons for the project's breakdown.

Casting talk receives an immediate response.

Abhishek Pathak denied reports suggesting Jaideep Ahlawat had been brought in as a straight replacement. Speaking to Bombay Times, he said, “No, Jaideep is not replacing Akshaye. I’m writing a new character.”




He also stressed that Ajay Devgn, who reprises Vijay Salgaonkar in ‘Drishyam 3’, stayed out of the dispute. “He (Ajay Devgn) left it to me completely. The main focus of this project centers on both my work as Akshaye and the entire production process. So, I would rather leave that aspect of how we dealt with it out,” the director said.

Timeline, continuity, and the money rumors

Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak, meanwhile, told ANI that Jaideep Ahlawat had been cast for a newly added part. “We have cast Jaideep Ahlawat. We have added a new character. He is doing it now. The new character will perform tasks which Akshaye used to do but he will present himself through a different persona. We are presenting him in a very good way.”

Abhishek recognized the exit as a late-stage disruption which took place after all official procedures had been finished. “All this happened after the contract was signed in November. He left the movie five days before it was going on the floors. The look was locked, costumes were getting made, the narration had happened, and he loved the story,” he said.

He also mentioned that the story of 'Drishyam 3' faces challenges because of its starting point. “My film starts from the point where it (Drishyam 2) ended. I couldn't have him in the courtroom in the afternoon, and in the evening, he comes back with hair. How is it possible?”Abhishek added that he had raised the issue earlier and believed it had been settled. “I explained the point to him which led to his understanding of the situation. A few days later, this came up again, and that's when we said we would work it out,” he said.

On speculation that money was the reason, Abhishek rejected the idea and said the negotiation phase had already ended. “He is putting out those rumours. I prefer to avoid discussing the final amount which we established. Yes, the commercials were revisited, but we somehow worked it out and reached a figure that was mutually agreed upon. Then the contract was signed, and after that, all this drama started,” he said.



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