Drishyam producers offered to hike Akshaye’s fee for Part 3, but he isn’t biting the bait.
As the Dhurandhar wave refuses to subside, the film has claimed its first casualty of the year.
The third instalment of the popular Drishyam franchise won’t feature Akshaye Kumar.
For those who came in late, Akshaye played the senior cop Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2.
Explains a source close to the development, “Akshaye’s Drishyam character has villainous shades. And after Dhurandhar Akshaye doesn’t want to be typecast in grey/villainous roles.”
Apparently, the Drishyam producers offered to hike Akshaye’s fee for Part 3, but he isn’t biting the bait.
At the end of this year, Akshaye Khanna has emerged as the star of 2025, thanks to his scene stealing presence in Dhurandhar.
The demand for Akshaye is such that the makers of Border 2, the sequel to the 1997 war epic Border, have decided to bring back his character Lieutenant Dharamvir Singh Bhakri from Border in Border 2.
A source close to the project reveals, “The decision was taken in view of his (Akshaye’s) sudden popularity. J P Dutta (who directed Border and who is the co-producer of Border 2) shared a very close rapport with Akshaye’s father Vinod Khanna and Akshaye.”
“When JP asked Akshaye to make a guest appearance in Border 2, the actor readily agreed.”
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff