Amid Akshaye Khanna's exit drama, Drishyam 3 heads to Goa for a month-long shoot with Jaideep Ahlawat

Jaideep Ahlawat replaced Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3. The film will feature Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran and Rajat Kapoor reprising their roles.

Updated on: Dec 29, 2025, 15:30:03 IST

By Santanu Das

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The announcement of Drishyam 3 has been overshadowed by the news of Akshaye Khanna walking out of the film days before the shoot was set to begin. Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak skewered the actor and shared that Jaideep Ahlawat is a better fit for the role. Amid the news of his departure, the makers have now moved on to their new schedule, which is set to take place in Goa next month.

Akshaye Khanna's exit from Drishyam 3 grabbed headlines.

Drishyam 3 shoot on track

According to the makers, the cast and crew will head to Goa for a month-long shoot starting from January 8. The schedule is expected to continue till the end of February. The entire cast will be part of the Goa schedule, with Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran, and Rajat Kapoor returning for this edge-of-your-seat family thriller.

Drishyam stars Ajay Devgn as a man protecting his family from the cops after a murder takes place in his house. The first film also starred Shriya Saran and Ishita Dutta, while Tabu played the cop after him. Akshaye Khanna joined the cast of Drishyam 2 as another senior police officer who reopens the case. While the other cast will return for Drishyam 3, Akshaye won’t be a part of it.

Kumar Mangat Pathak said that Akshaye felt he deserved more money after the success of his recent film Dhurandhar. Meanwhile, the film’s director Abhishek Pathak has reacted to Akshaye’s departure and challenged him to attempt a solo film.

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Akshaye received immense praise for his performance as Rahman Dakait in Dhurandhar. The action spy thriller directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh in the lead, has emerged as the biggest blockbuster of the year. Part 2 is set for release in theatres on March 19.

Meanwhile, Drishyam 3 is set for release on 2 October 2026. Presented by Star Studio18, the Panorama Studios production is directed by Abhishek Pathak and written by Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh. It is produced by Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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