Drishyam 3: The Conclusion director Abhishek Pathak has opened up about Akshaye Khanna’s last-minute exit from the highly anticipated film, revealing that the actor’s departure was communicated just seven days before shooting began.

Khanna was expected to reprise his role from Drishyam 2, but his exit left the filmmakers with limited time to find a replacement and make changes to the character.

Speaking about the situation, Pathak said the team was unhappy with how the development unfolded but stressed that there was no panic on the set. With the shoot scheduled to begin after Christmas, the director and his team had to quickly work on recasting the role while ensuring that the production stayed on schedule.

Pathak described the challenge of having to find another actor, adapt the character and make the necessary changes within a very short window.

The director also indicated that the development followed the major success of Dhurandhar. With only a week available before filming, the team had to move quickly to avoid disrupting the production.

Drishyam 3: The Conclusion, led by Ajay Devgn, is the next instalment in the popular crime-thriller franchise. The casting change has added another layer of interest around the film, which is among the year's much-awaited releases.