Mumbai,  27 Dec

Film producer Kumar Mangat Pathak on Saturday said a legal notice has been issued to actor Akshaye Khanna for alleged breach of agreement after he declined to be part of the upcoming film Drishyam 3 through a text message.

Pathak said Khanna had signed an agreement last month for the film and had also received an advance. However, with the actor backing out, the producers decided to rope in Jaideep Ahlawat on Friday as the shooting schedule was being affected.

Written and directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film is presented by Star Studio18 and produced by Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Pathak and Abhishek Pathak.

“We were working on Drishyam 3 for two years and Akshaye was fully aware of it. The script was narrated to him, fee negotiations were held multiple times, and only after mutual agreement was the contract signed and the signing amount paid,” Pathak told PTI.

He said Khanna was paid a fee nearly three times higher than what he received for Drishyam 2, though the exact amount was not disclosed. The actor and his team have been approached for comment but are yet to respond.

Pathak said discussions were also held on Khanna’s look for the film and that the agreement was finalised at the actor’s farmhouse in Alibaug. “Despite all this, he sent a message saying he would not do the film and then stopped responding to calls and messages,” he added.

According to the producer, a legal notice was sent last week asking Khanna to honour the agreement, warning of legal action in case of non-compliance. “We are suffering losses as the shoot had already begun on December 18 at YRF Studios and dates were given till March. Left with no option, we signed Jaideep,” he said.

Pathak termed the episode “disappointing”, noting that he had previously worked with Khanna on Aakrosh and Section 375 without any issues. He also alleged that the success of Dhurandhar may have influenced the actor’s decision.

Headlined by Ajay Devgn and Tabu, Drishyam 3 is slated for theatrical release on October 2, 2026.