Writer-director Manish Gupta, who was scheduled to work with Akshaye Khanna on the 2019 courtroom drama Section 375, accused the actor of acting unprofessionally during their previous association amid the Drishyam 3 controversy. For the unversed, Drishyam 3 producer Kumar Mangat accused Akshaye of leaving the movie abruptly just days before filming was supposed to start, putting him at the center of an escalating dispute. Additionally, Mangat claimed that Akshaye had left the project after accepting an advance payment.

Manish Gupta makes a shocking revelation

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Manish recalled, "In 2017, Akshaye signed my film Section 375 with me as director-writer and Kumar Mangat as producer. His fee was fixed at Rs 2 crore. He took an advance of Rs 21 lakh, and he signed a contract with us."