Akshaye Khanna has joined the sets of the mythological film Mahakali, where he portrays Shukracharya and makes his Telugu debut. This comes after his reported exit from the Drishyam 3 franchise. The producer of Drishyam 3 cited Khanna's success post-Drishyam 2 as a reason for his alleged unprofessional behavior and toxic on-set energy, leading to a legal notice. Mahakali, part of the PVCU and touted as a female superhero film, is slated for an early 2026 release.