Mumbai: ‘Drishyam 3’ director Abhishek Pathak has spoken about the controversy surrounding Akshaye Khanna’s reported exit from the film, saying there should be a “law” or a system in place to prevent actors from walking out of projects at a late stage.
Pathak, who is also producing the third instalment of the franchise, said Khanna’s exit forced the makers to rewrite portions of the script and introduce a new character, played by Jaideep Ahlawat.
Speaking to PTI, Pathak explained that sudden exits can have a wider impact on a film’s cast and crew, particularly those who depend on daily wages.
The filmmaker said crew members earning around Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 a day plan their livelihoods around a project and can be affected when production is disrupted.
“Suddenly you put their life at risk because they have planned their life accordingly… I think there has to be a certain rule about it where you cannot just step out once you wish because you didn’t feel right about something. So, it’s more about a solution that has to come together, figure out a plan, a law, a rule,” Pathak stated.
According to Pathak, late exits can prove “problematic” for producers, with their impact extending to several crew members.
“The producer might have an option of stopping the shoot but that can affect a lot of people, a lot of crew members. And it’s not just about a film, it’s about so many livelihoods, it’s problematic,” he explained.
Pathak also said that actors should ideally resolve any creative differences with the makers before signing their contracts.
He further revealed that Khanna’s last-minute exit put considerable pressure on the Drishyam 3 team, which had to find a replacement while making changes to the script.
According to the director, delaying the shoot was not an option as it could have affected the film’s scheduled release date.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Pathak’s father and producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has reportedly sent Akshaye Khanna a legal notice over an alleged breach of agreement.
Mangat Pathak had told PTI last year that Khanna exited ‘Drishyam 3’ ahead of the release of ‘Dhurandhar’.
‘Drishyam 3’ will see Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran and Tabu reprise their respective roles from the franchise.
Jaideep Ahlawat has joined the cast as SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, who will pursue Devgn’s character and his family.
Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film is scheduled to release on October 2.
