Actor Akshaye Khanna has been making headlines for multiple reasons lately. On one hand, his performance as the dacoit Rehman in Dhurandhar has earned widespread praise. On the other, reports suggest he has exited Drishyam 3 following differences with the makers.

According to industry buzz, after the massive success of Dhurandhar, Akshaye Khanna reportedly demanded a fee of ₹21 crore for Drishyam 3, along with a request to wear a wig for the role. When the producers failed to agree to these terms, the actor decided to walk away from the project.

However, this is not the first time Akshaye Khanna has lost out on a major film. In an earlier interview, he revealed that he was once considered for a key role in the 2018 blockbuster Sanju.

The film, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, starred Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt. Akshaye Khanna was offered the role of Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt’s father. He even went through multiple meetings with the director and appeared for a look test.

Unfortunately, Akshaye did not clear the look test. He admitted that he did not resemble Sunil Dutt closely enough, which made him unsuitable for the role. As a result, the part eventually went to Paresh Rawal, whose performance was widely appreciated.

Sanju went on to become a massive box office success, earning around ₹588 crore worldwide and securing its place as one of Bollywood’s biggest blockbusters.

Despite missing out on Sanju and stepping away from Drishyam 3, Akshaye Khanna’s recent success with Dhurandhar has firmly re-established him as a powerful performer, proving that even missed opportunities haven’t slowed down his career momentum.