The controversy surrounding Akshaye Khanna’s sudden exit from Drishyam 3 has now taken a deeper turn, with past events being brought back into the spotlight. Producer Kumar Mangat has accused the actor of walking away from the project just days before filming was set to begin, despite having taken an advance payment. Kumar Mangat has also spoken about supporting Akshaye during the making of Section 375 when others were reluctant. In response to these claims, Section 375 writer and director Manish Gupta has shared a detailed account of what he says unfolded behind the scenes years ago.
Manish recalled that in 2017, Akshaye Khanna signed on to Section 375 with him as the director-writer and Kumar Mangat as the producer. The financial terms, according to Manish, were clearly defined. Akshaye’s fee was fixed at ₹2 crore and he received an advance of ₹21 lakh after signing a formal contract. However, Manish claimed that things took an unexpected turn when Akshaye reassigned the dates he had committed to Section 375 to another film, The Accidental Prime Minister. The actor reportedly left for London to shoot that project, leaving Manish and his crew waiting without clarity for nearly six months.
When Akshaye Khanna returned after completing the other film, Manish alleged that the situation worsened. He claimed that the actor demanded a revised fee of ₹3.25 crore instead of the originally agreed ₹2 crore, which he viewed as a breach of contract. Beyond the financial dispute, Manish said Akshaye wanted extensive creative control over the film, insisting that major decisions be made according to his preferences. Manish refused to give in, believing that creative authority should remain with the director rather than shifting entirely to an actor.
According to Manish Gupta, this refusal created tension. He alleged that Akshaye Khanna began pressurizing producer Kumar Mangat to remove him as director and hand over complete control of the project to the actor. Manish claimed that instead of addressing the actor’s conduct, the producer chose to remove him from the film. He further alleged that his fully written bound script and a hard drive containing nearly three years of pre-production work were taken from him, effectively cutting him out of the project.
Feeling wronged, Manish Gupta said that he warned Akshaye Khanna of legal action and sent two legal notices to Kumar Mangat. His lawyers were preparing to file a case in the Bombay High Court against both parties. However, before the matter reached court, Mangat reportedly opted for an out-of-court settlement with Manish.
Manish Gupta pointed out the irony of the current situation, noting that Kumar Mangat is now taking legal action against Akshaye Khanna over similar allegations related to Drishyam 3, a film starring Ajay Devgn. As the dispute unfolds, these resurfaced details suggest that the present controversy may be part of a longer pattern of unresolved conflicts, where financial terms, creative control and professional trust remain at the centre of the storm.
