Prakash
Raj joined Ajay Devgn's Hindi film, Drishyam 3, earlier this year. On Friday, the veteran actor took to Instagram to confirm that he has already wrapped the shoot for the Abhishek Pathak directorial, writing that he thoroughly enjoyed being part of it and that he is sure audiences will love it. For those unversed, his role was confirmed after months of speculation around the film's cast following Akshaye Khanna's high-profile exit, which made headlines amid the massive success of Dhurandhar. With Prakash Raj now part of the project and his portions already in the can, Drishyam 3 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films heading into the second half of 2026.
Prakash Raj Wraps Up Drishyam 3 Shoot
Prakash shared a behind-the-scenes photo but didn't reveal his look from the movie. The actor wrote in the caption, "#Drishyam3 Hindi... Just wrapped up a fantastic shoot with a wonderful team… thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this film. I’m sure you‘ll love it too… On to the next one."
Has Prakash Raj Replaced Akshaye Khanna?
The
Wanted actor has been clear about one thing since the news broke: he is not stepping into Akshaye Khanna's shoes or taking over any existing role. Speaking about his part, he described it as a scintillating role and spoke warmly about the team he got to work with. The clarification was necessary given that speculation had been rife about whether his casting was a direct replacement for Khanna's character. Director Abhishek Pathak had earlier addressed Akshaye's exit in a conversation with
ETimes, revealing that the actor had signed the contract in November but pulled out just five days before the film was set to go on floors. By that point, his look had been locked and costumes were already being prepared. The initial disagreement reportedly arose over Akshaye wanting to wear a wig, which Pathak felt would break continuity since
Drishyam 3 picks up exactly where
Drishyam 2 ended. Though the issue was temporarily resolved, it resurfaced and communication eventually broke down entirely. Reports of a Rs 21 crore fee demand also did the rounds, though Pathak dismissed those as baseless, clarifying that both parties had agreed on a figure before the contract was even signed.
Drishyam 3 Release, More
Drishyam 3 is produced by Panorama Studios and Star Studios, and written by Pathak alongside Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh. The ensemble cast features Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Jaideep Ahlawat and now Prakash Raj. It is set to arrive in theatres on October 2, 2026. The Gandhi Jayanti release is no coincidence. In the first
Drishyam film, Ajay's Vijay Salgaonkar famously uses the date as his alibi, claiming his family attended a
satsang and ate
pav bhaji in Panaji that day. That line turned October 2 into one of Indian cinema's most memorable franchise markers. The makers leaned into it again with
Drishyam 2 by opening advance bookings on the same date, a move that helped turn the film into a sleeper blockbuster. Doing it a third time feels entirely intentional, and if the casting is anything to go by, October 2 is shaping up to be a very big day at the box office.