Akshaye Khanna has found himself at the centre of a growing controversy after Drishyam 3 producer Kumar Mangat accused the actor of abruptly exiting the film just days before shooting was scheduled to begin. Mangat also alleged that Akshaye had accepted an advance payment before walking out of the project

Amid the unfolding Drishyam 3 row, writer-director Manish Gupta, who was supposed to collaborate with Akshaye Khanna on the 2019 courtroom drama Section 375, accused the actor of unprofessional conduct during their earlier association.

For those unversed, Akshaye has found himself at the centre of a growing controversy after Drishyam 3 producer Kumar Mangat accused the actor of abruptly exiting the film just days before shooting was scheduled to begin. Mangat also alleged that Akshaye had accepted an advance payment before walking out of the project.

Now, speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Manish recalled, "In 2017, Akshaye signed my film Section 375 with me as director-writer and Kumar Mangat as producer. His fee was fixed at Rs 2 crore. He took an advance of Rs 21 lakh, and he signed a contract with us."

However, Manish claimed the situation took an unexpected turn when Akshaye allegedly diverted the dates he had committed to Section 375 to another project.

"He gave away the dates he’d committed to us to another movie, The Accidental Prime Minister, and he flew off to London to shoot that movie, leaving me and my crew waiting idle for six months."

Manish further alleged that once Akshaye returned, he attempted to renegotiate his fee. "He started demanding Rs 3.25 crore, instead of the Rs 2 crore signed by him in the contract. He thus breached his contract.”

The filmmaker also accused Akshaye of seeking excessive creative control. “He wanted to fully control the film and wanted everything done his way. But I am not the sort of director who gives in to the whims of any actor. I stood up to Akshaye’s unreasonable behaviour. But sadly, in Bollywood, most directors bend to every wish of the actor,” Manish added.

According to Manish, tensions escalated further when Akshaye allegedly pressured producer Kumar Mangat to remove him from the project. “Since it was hurting Akshaye’s ego to take orders from an authoritarian director like me, he started pestering the producer Kumar Mangat to remove me as the director of the film and give the entire control of the film to him instead,” he said, claiming he was eventually removed and that his script and pre-production material were seized.

Manish also revealed that he had issued legal notices and was prepared to take the matter to court before an out-of-court settlement was reached. Drawing a direct link to the current controversy, he concluded, “Today, ironically, when producer Kumar Mangat is facing the brunt of Akshaye’s unethical behaviour in the Ajay Devgn starrer film Drishyam 3, Mangat has taken legal action against Akshaye.”

Section 375 was later directed by Ajay Bahl. It was written by Manish and Bahl. The film also starred Richa Chadda and Meera Chopra.

Akshaye has not responded to these allegations yet. Meanwhile, he is currently enjoying the success of Dhurandhar.