‘Dhurandhar’ star Akshaye Khanna quits ‘Drishyam 3’. Producer says: ‘If he does a solo film…’ ; how much did he charge for new movie?

Akshaye Khanna has once again found himself at the centre of public attention following the massive box-office response to the Ranveer Singh-led film Dhurandhar. Although Khanna was not positioned as the main protagonist, his presence left a strong impression on audiences. A short clip of the actor dancing to the Bahraini track FA9LA spread rapidly across social media, turning him into an unexpected viral sensation. At the same time, his portrayal of the antagonist Rehman Dakait earned widespread praise, with many viewers and critics calling it one of his most commanding performances in recent years.

However, the actor’s renewed visibility has now taken a controversial turn. Khanna has reportedly exited Ajay Devgn’s upcoming Drishyam 3, triggering a sharp reaction from the film’s producer, Kumar Mangat Pathak. In an interaction with Bollywood Hungama, Pathak openly criticised Khanna’s decision to leave the project, suggesting that the actor had become difficult to work with after tasting recent success. According to Pathak, Khanna’s sudden withdrawal from the film caused significant disruption and financial damage to the production.

As stated by Kumar Mangat Pathak to Bollywood Hungama, Akshaye Khanna stepped away from Drishyam 3 barely ten days before filming was scheduled to begin. The producer claimed that this last-minute decision led to losses and forced the team to reconsider several logistical plans. Pathak further revealed that he had initiated legal proceedings by sending a formal notice to the actor and was still awaiting a response.


Pathak also downplayed Khanna’s contribution to Dhurandhar, emphasising that the film’s success largely rested on Ranveer Singh’s shoulders. In his view, Dhurandhar was primarily driven by its lead star and not by supporting performances, no matter how impactful they appeared on screen.

Reflecting on his past professional association with Khanna, Pathak recalled working with him on Section 375 in 2019. He stated that at the time, Khanna was not a sought-after name and that several people had warned the production team against casting him due to concerns over his conduct. Despite these warnings, Pathak went ahead with the collaboration, believing in the actor’s talent. He claimed that Section 375 helped Khanna regain recognition, which eventually led to his casting in Drishyam 2 in 2022. According to Pathak, it was only after Drishyam 2 that Khanna began receiving high-profile offers, following a period of several years when he had little work.

The producer further stressed that the Drishyam franchise has always revolved around Ajay Devgn as its central pillar. He made similar observations about other films featuring Khanna, noting that Chhaava was primarily a Vicky Kaushal-led project and Dhurandhar belonged to Ranveer Singh. Pathak asserted that Khanna lacked the box-office pull to headline a major project on his own and questioned whether any major studio would approve a big-budget film solely on the actor’s name.

"If Akshaye does a solo film, it won’t even collect Rs 50 crore in India. Forget the lifetime, if he thinks he has become a superstar, then he should try mounting a superstar budget film with some studio and see who greenlights his film with that kind of budget," he said.

According to Pathak, Khanna’s attitude changed noticeably after the success of his recent films. He alleged that ensemble projects sometimes lead actors to overestimate their individual stardom once the films perform well commercially. In this case, Pathak claimed that Khanna began viewing himself as a superstar and attributed the success of Dhurandhar largely to his own presence, ignoring the collective effort behind the film.

Explaining the fallout over Drishyam 3, Pathak detailed the lengthy negotiations that preceded the signing of the agreement. After the deal was finalised, Khanna reportedly requested to wear a wig for his character. Director Abhishek Pathak, according to the producer, explained that this would disrupt continuity, as the third film picks up directly from where Drishyam 2 ended. Initially, Khanna accepted this reasoning. However, Pathak claimed that people close to the actor later convinced him that a wig would enhance his appearance, prompting him to raise the demand again. While the director remained open to discussion, the situation escalated when Khanna eventually informed the team that he no longer wished to be part of the film.

Pathak said he was taken aback by this development, pointing out that the storyline made a sudden change in the character’s appearance implausible. He questioned how such a transformation could logically occur within the film’s timeline.

Previous media reports had also indicated that after the success of Chhaava and Dhurandhar, Khanna allegedly increased his remuneration to around Rs 21 crore. This reported fee hike was said to be a major concern for the makers of Drishyam 3, given the film’s budget limitations.

Kumar Mangat Pathak has since confirmed that actor Jaideep Ahlawat will be stepping in to replace Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3, bringing an end to a high-profile collaboration marked by controversy.