Akshaye Khanna, the "Dhurandhar" actor, is currently facing a barrage of criticism after a series of allegations have surfaced regarding his professional conduct during the making of the 2019 film "Section 375". Manish Gupta, the writer and initial director of the film, has accused Khanna of "playing dirty politics" that led to his removal from the project.

Gupta claims that Khanna, fresh off signing "Section 375" in 2017 for a fee of Rs 2 crores with an advance of Rs 21 lakhs, abruptly prioritized another film, "The Accidental Prime Minister," leaving Gupta and his crew in limbo for six months. Upon his return, Gupta alleges that Khanna demanded an increased fee of Rs 3.25 crores, breaching their original agreement.

Beyond the financial dispute, Gupta accuses Khanna of wanting complete control over the film, disregarding Gupta's authority as director. "He wanted to fully control the film and wanted everything done his way," Gupta stated, adding, "But I am not the sort of director who gives in to the whims of any actor". He further claimed that Khanna pressured producer Kumar Mangat Pathak to remove him from the project.

In a shocking turn of events, Gupta alleges that Pathak sided with Khanna, ousting Gupta from his directorial role and seizing his script and pre-production materials. Gupta described Khanna as "lazy and whimsical" and someone who "insults everyone". He also stated that people avoid working with Khanna because of his difficult nature. Gupta, in an interview, said, "Akshaye Khanna ki ego...Actor ka kya hai na we have made them gods".

Gupta revealed that he sent legal notices to Pathak, but the matter was settled out of court. Ultimately, Ajay Bahl was credited as the director, while Gupta retained credit as the sole writer of the story, screenplay, and dialogues. Despite the turmoil, Gupta asserts that "Section 375" remains his vision.

The resurfacing of these allegations coincides with the recent controversy surrounding Khanna's departure from "Drishyam 3". Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak has also criticized Khanna's unprofessional behavior and has reportedly sent the actor a legal notice for exiting the film after accepting a signing amount and committing to specific dates. Pathak even went as far as to call Akshaye Khanna "toxic" and "unprofessional". He stated that despite many people advising him against it, he gave Khanna a chance in "Section 375" when the actor "was nothing".

Despite the controversies, Khanna is currently enjoying the success of his recent film "Dhurandhar," where he plays the character Rehman Dakait. The film, a spy action thriller, has been a commercial success, with Khanna receiving praise for his performance.