Akshaye Khanna has commenced shooting for his Telugu debut, the mythological epic Mahakali, directed by Prashanth Varma. The film, featuring Bhoomi Shetty as the lead, is slated for an early 2026 release and is part of the Prashanth Varma Cinematic Universe. This venture follows Khanna's recent success in 'Dhurandhar'. Concurrently, Khanna's exit from 'Drishyam 3' has sparked controversy, with producer Kumar Mangat Pathak publicly criticizing the actor's behavior and questioning his commercial viability.