EXCLUSIVE: Akshaye Khanna joins Ajay Devgn and Tabu in Drishyam 2

Ajay Devgn has completed the first schedule of Drishyam 2 directed by Abhishek Pathak and moved on to his next one, Bholaa. The seven-day schedule of Drishyam 2, which began last week, was held in Navi Mumbai. Apart from Ajay and Tabu, a surprise element was seen in the cast – Akshaye Khanna who joined their shoot. This will be Ajay and Akshaye’s fourth film together as the two actors appear together in a movie after 12 years. Their last movie together was Aakrosh (2010).  

Says a trade source, “In Drishyam 2 (as in the Malayalam original version), Ajay and his family and Tabu pick up their journey from where they left it in Drishyam. Vijay is now shown as a prosperous businessman living a happy life with his family when fresh evidence entangles their family in another new set of problems. He is determined to protect his family at all costs. The core remains the same – how an uneducated man again executes a perfect plan to save his family but from here the story has been written to adapt to pan India sensibilities.”

This is where Akshaye Khanna’s character steps in, in Drishyam 2. “Apart from the drama, intrigue and action, Abhishek and the writers of Drishyam 2 have fleshed out a new character (played by Akshaye), who is not there in Drishyam. Apparently, he plays a cop who is a close associate of Tabu and assists her in the investigation. Akshay is said to play a tough, smart, savvy, sharp cop who is on Ajay’s tails and determined to pin the charge on him. Everyone knows that Akshaye is very choosy about his roles but when Abhishek narrated it to him, the actor loved it. It’s not a supporting role but a proper one – written just for him and will probably stand out in terms of impact and performance.”

Ajay and Akshaye have earlier worked together in several movies including Anees Bazmee’s Deewangee, JP Dutta’s LOC and Priyadarshan’s Aakrosh. “They first worked together in Deewangee and got along like a house on fire and it was Ajay who suggested that they approach the younger actor this time when Abhishek started casting for the movie. It will be great to see their on-screen chemistry once again.”

The movie sees Ajay (Vijay Salgaonkar), Tabu (IGP Meera Deshmukh), Shriya Saran (Nandini Salgaonkar) and Ajay and Shriya’s two daughters, Ishita Dutta (Anju) and Mrunal Jadhav (Anu), reprising their roles from Drishyam (2015). The film was to begin shooting from the first week of January this year but it got delayed due to the third wave. A small schedule of Bhola was held during this time.

After completing the first schedule of Drishyam 2, Ajay has moved to the shoot for Dharmendra Sharma’s Hindi remake of Kaithi, titled Bholaa, from this week. The movie is being shot in various locations in Mumbai.

We asked Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak for confirmation, but they refused to comment.

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