When you are just a week away from starting production on a major franchise film, losing a key cast member is every director’s worst nightmare. Yet, that is exactly what happened to Drishyam 3 director Abhishek Pathak when Akshaye Khanna abruptly exited the project in December 2025 due to reported creative and monetary disagreements.
Rather than hitting the panic button or delaying production—which would have disrupted the livelihoods of over 200 crew members and tangled locked actor dates—Pathak chose a high-stakes path forward.
Here is how the team pulled off a remarkable behind-the-scenes save:
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The Sudden Exit: Just days after Christmas and only a week before filming was set to begin with Ajay Devgn, Khanna walked away. Pathak admitted the team wasn’t panicked, but was deeply frustrated by the sudden disruption, calling out the unprofessional timing.
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A Massive Rewrite: Because Khanna’s character was heavily tied to specific portions of the script, Pathak had to completely rework those scenes in a matter of days.
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The Quick Pivot to Jaideep Ahlawat: Needing a powerhouse replacement, Pathak turned to Jaideep Ahlawat. When Ahlawat asked if it was a simple casting swap or a character change, Pathak confirmed he was rewriting the role. Ahlawat read the new pages, loved the concept, and signed on—all within a frantic 5 to 6-day window.
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Protecting the Crew: Pathak held firm on the shooting schedule primarily to protect the 200+ crew members whose employment and setups were already counting on the timeline.
With the crisis averted and the script overhauled, Drishyam 3—starring Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Tabu, and Jaideep Ahlawat—is all set to hit theaters on October 2.
