Filmmaker Priyadarshan revealed that he was advised against casting Akshaye Khanna in his early films, citing concerns about the actor being difficult and moody. However, Priyadarshan found Khanna to be cooperative and punctual, leading to a positive working relationship across six films. This comes amid recent reports of Khanna exiting the film 'Drishyam 3' shortly before shooting, with producer Kumar Mangat Pathak citing professionalism concerns and a disagreement over the actor's appearance.