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The Salgaonkar family is welcoming a couple of new faces to the mix, but these aren't just anyone - they're actually Prakash Raj and he's formally joining the party that is Drishyam 3. Raj right off the bat sets the record straight with the gossip mongers by using X (that being the old Twitter) to dispel the outlandish claims spreading like wildfire that he was somehow taking on Akshaye Khanna's role as the brainy IG from the second film. "Started filming on this pretty compelling franchise & no, I'm not replacing anyone," he said in a post to put it all to rest.
Now, Prakash Raj does bring a lot of skill to the table, but the main issue still remains - why Akshaye Khanna had to up and leave in such a hasty manner is still a mystery. Kumar Mangat Pathak, the producer, recently let it rip in an interview and revealed that the "Drishyam 2" star actually bailed within days of his shooting schedule - all thanks to a dispute with Pathak over how much he was getting paid (around ₹21 crore, apparently) and a bizarre demand to wear a wig that Abhishek Pathak the director didn't think would fly with his fans because he says itd just ruin the continuity of the visuals.
As it stands at the moment, the two lead guys are having to carry the weight of the "antagonist" character on their shoulders because Khanna had already bailed on the production. Although Jaideep Ahlawat had already been brought on board, Abhishek Pathak made some last minute changes and now it's down to Ahlawat and Prakash Raj to be the ones causing the trouble that needs to be outsmarted by Vijay Salgaonkar aka Ajay Devgn.
The countdown to October 2nd, 2026 is finally underway - a bit poetic, given that it's also the anniversary of that infamous trip to Panjim that made the first film so memorable. The original Malayalam version starring Mohanlal is still scheduled to drop on April 2nd, just in case you don't want to wait that long. And for the Hindi speaking crowd, they get to witness the dream match that is Devgn vs Raj and Ahlawat, in what is sure to be the battle they've all been waiting for.