Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 31: Filmmaker and writer Manish Gupta has levelled serious allegations against actor Akshaye Khanna, accusing him of being difficult, unethical and unprofessional during the making of Section 375. The allegations come amid an ongoing controversy surrounding Akshaye Khanna’s exit from Drishyam 3, for which producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has already issued a legal notice to the actor.

In an interview, Manish Gupta, who was the original writer-director of Section 375, claimed that Akshaye Khanna breached contractual commitments after signing the film in 2017. Gupta said Akshaye had agreed to a fee of Rs 2 crore and taken an advance of Rs 21 lakh, but allegedly failed to honour his committed shoot dates.

“Akshaye suddenly allotted the dates he had committed to us to another film, The Accidental Prime Minister, and flew to London, leaving my entire crew idle for nearly six months,” Gupta alleged.

He further claimed that upon returning, the actor demanded a revised fee of Rs 3.25 crore, contrary to the signed agreement. Gupta also accused Akshaye of attempting to exert excessive creative control over the film. “He wanted everything done his way. I refused to bend to unreasonable demands, which is something many directors in Bollywood unfortunately do,” he said.

Gupta alleged that after he stood his ground, Akshaye pressured producer Kumar Mangat Pathak to remove him as director. “I was made a scapegoat. I was removed from the film, and my fully written script and three years of pre-production work were taken from me,” he said.

The writer also revealed that he had issued legal notices and was preparing to move the Bombay High Court before an out-of-court settlement was reached with the producer. He noted the irony that Kumar Mangat Pathak is now facing similar issues with Akshaye Khanna during Drishyam 3.

Despite the accusations, Gupta acknowledged Akshaye Khanna’s acting talent. “He is undoubtedly a brilliant actor. My issue is with his lack of ethics. Section 375 marked his comeback after a long hiatus, yet this is how he repaid me,” Gupta said, adding that the film’s credits clearly reflect his sole creative contribution.

Earlier this week, Drishyam 3 producer Kumar Mangat Pathak also publicly accused Akshaye Khanna of walking out of the project just days before shooting was to begin, calling him “toxic” and “unprofessional”. Pathak claimed the actor’s recent success with Dhurandhar had gone to his head and announced plans for legal action.

Following Akshaye Khanna’s exit from Drishyam 3, actor Jaideep Ahlawat has been roped in as his replacement.