Jaideep Ahlawat has addressed speculation surrounding his casting in Drishyam: The Conclusion, making it clear that he does not see his role as a replacement for Akshaye Khanna.
Ahlawat plays SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar in the third film of the Hindi Drishyam franchise. The character is introduced as a new police officer whose investigation puts fresh pressure on Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar.
The clarification came during the film’s trailer launch in Goa on September 9. Ahlawat said the character was presented to him as an independent part of the story rather than as a continuation of Khanna’s role from Drishyam 2.
Ahlawat says Rajveer Tomar has his own story
Khanna played police officer IG Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2, becoming one of the principal figures attempting to uncover Vijay Salgaonkar’s carefully constructed account of events.
Ahlawat’s Rajveer Tomar serves a similar broad narrative function — he is part of the renewed police investigation — but the actor has stressed that the character itself is different.
According to Ahlawat, the story presented to him did not frame his casting as stepping into Khanna’s shoes. Instead, one character’s journey ends while another begins, giving Rajveer his own motivations, relationships and approach to the case.
Director Abhishek Pathak had also addressed the issue previously. In December 2025, Pathak said that Ahlawat was not replacing Khanna and that a new character was being written for him.
A new challenge for Vijay Salgaonkar
The latest trailer gives audiences a clearer look at how the third film expands the investigation.
Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar, the ordinary family man whose attempts to protect his family have driven the franchise since the first film. Tabu also returns as Meera Deshmukh, while Prakash Raj joins the cast in another new role.
The film’s makers have positioned the new investigation as a way of avoiding a repeat of the earlier storyline. Devgn explained that the unresolved case now moves into the crime branch, changing the scale and approach of the investigation.
That shift gives Ahlawat’s Rajveer a distinct place in the story. Rather than simply reproducing the investigator-versus-Vijay dynamic seen previously, the new character is being introduced as part of a broader final confrontation.
Akshaye Khanna’s exit led to casting speculation
The question of whether Ahlawat had replaced Khanna became a talking point after Khanna’s departure from the project.
The casting change attracted considerable attention in late 2025, with producer Kumar Mangat Pathak publicly discussing the dispute and saying legal action had been initiated. Khanna has not publicly responded to the legal notice, according to Gulf News’ report.
The subsequent introduction of Ahlawat naturally led to comparisons because both actors are associated with police characters in the franchise. However, both the director and Ahlawat have now described the roles as separate characters rather than a recasting of the same part.
Ahlawat’s casting was formally highlighted by the makers in August, when his character poster identified him as SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar.
‘Drishyam: The Conclusion’ release date
The film is officially titled Drishyam: The Conclusion and is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on October 2, 2026. Abhishek Pathak, who directed Drishyam 2, returns as director.
The cast includes Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Jaideep Ahlawat, Prakash Raj, Rajat Kapoor, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav and Kamlesh Sawant. The official trailer credits Abhishek Pathak with the story and lists Aamil Keeyan Khan, Pathak and Parveez Shaikh among the screenplay writers.
For UAE audiences, the key development is the film’s confirmed theatrical release on October 2, with the trailer now offering the first substantial look at the new chapter. Ahlawat’s comments also make the casting distinction clear: Rajveer Singh Tomar is a new character, not a replacement version of Tarun Ahlawat.
Is Jaideep Ahlawat replacing Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3?
No. Ahlawat has said that his character, SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, is a new character and is not a replacement for Khanna’s earlier character. Director Abhishek Pathak had previously made the same clarification.
Who does Jaideep Ahlawat play in Drishyam: The Conclusion?
He plays SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, a police officer involved in the renewed investigation surrounding Vijay Salgaonkar.
Who did Akshaye Khanna play in Drishyam 2?
Akshaye Khanna played IG Tarun Ahlawat, the police investigator who pursued the case involving Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam 2.
When will Drishyam: The Conclusion release?
Drishyam: The Conclusion is scheduled to release in cinemas on October 2, 2026.
Who plays Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam: The Conclusion?
Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar, the central character of the Hindi franchise.
Is Drishyam: The Conclusion the final Hindi film in the franchise?
The film has been positioned by its makers as the final chapter of the Hindi Drishyam franchise.
Who directed Drishyam: The Conclusion?
Abhishek Pathak, who also directed Drishyam 2, directed the third Hindi instalment.
Has the Drishyam: The Conclusion trailer been released?
Yes. The official trailer was released on September 9, 2026, ahead of the film’s October 2 theatrical release.
