Jaideep Ahlawat says Drishyam 3 role is new, not an Akshaye Khanna replacement
At the Goa trailer launch of Drishyam The Conclusion, actor Jaideep Ahlawat made one thing clear: he is not stepping into Akshaye Khanna's shoes. His character, he said, has a story of his own as the film opens a brand-new mystery.
Actor Jaideep Ahlawat has stepped into the Drishyam universe without carrying the weight of what came before. The actor, who plays SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar in Drishyam The Conclusion, said he never felt any pressure about audiences comparing his character with Akshaye Khanna’s cop from Drishyam 2. For him, the script made it clear from the beginning: this was not about filling someone else’s shoes, but about starting a completely new journey.
Speaking at the film’s trailer launch in Goa on September 9, Jaideep said he was never introduced to the role as a replacement for Akshaye. “No, not at all. When I heard the story, it wasn't framed as if I was stepping into Akshaye Sir's shoes or anything like that,” he said.
According to Jaideep, the biggest draw was understanding the man behind the uniform. Director Abhishek Pathak’s narration presented Tomar as a character with his own story, relationships and motivations.
“One character’s journey concludes and another is introduced,” Jaideep said, adding that there was little reason for him to let the earlier character’s legacy become a burden. His journey, he explained, was “completely different”, with fresh relationships being formed, including those with Meera and the families at the heart of the story.
Jaideep described his approach to Tomar as “very individualistic”. He said that when Pathak narrated the script, “there wasn't even a hint that this character was there because of someone else”. Instead, Tomar was on “his own distinct journey”.
The actor also admitted that the script initially took some time to fully sink in. Pathak, after all, had already lived with the story as its director and had a much clearer idea of one crucial question: who exactly is Tomar?
For Jaideep, figuring that out became part of the fun.
Watch the full video here:
So, what happened to Akshaye Khanna?
The casting change had naturally invited comparisons. Akshaye Khanna, who played Inspector General Thomas in Drishyam 2, was initially attached to the third film but exited shortly before filming was to begin. Pathak had previously said that creative differences emerged during pre-production, including discussions around the character and continuity with the earlier films.
But Pathak has been clear that Jaideep was not brought in to recreate Khanna’s role.
“Jaideep is not replacing Akshaye, instead a new character is being written for him,” the director had told ETimes. He also said Ajay Devgn left the decision about Khanna’s involvement entirely to him.
A new game for Vijay Salgaonkar
The trailer released on Wednesday suggests exactly that. Drishyam The Conclusion picks up after Drishyam 2, but introduces a fresh mystery, with Tomar stepping into the investigation and putting Vijay Salgaonkar’s carefully protected secrets under fresh pressure.
Watch the trailer here:
Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay, with Tabu, Shriya Saran and Rajat Kapoor reprising their roles. Prakash Raj also joins the cast. Directed by Abhishek Pathak, Drishyam The Conclusion is set to release in theatres on October 2, 2026.