Ajay Devgn reveals why he called Mohanlal for approval, says Drishyam 3 beats 2

At the FICCI Frames on Wednesday, Bollywood star Ajay Devgn revealed that he called Malayalam superstar Mohanlal for his approval on Drishyam: The Conclusion. Mohanlal plays Georgekutty in the original Malayalam Drishyam films, on which the Hindi franchise is based, and Ajay said he wanted him to watch the film, particularly because the third part takes the story in a completely new direction.

"In fact, I called up Lal (Mohanlal) sir, because I wanted him to see the film. Like he (JioHotstar's Alok Jain) said that they do such a great job, and this time we have diverted [the story] completely. So, for me, I thought that a kind of approval from him would be nice. I wanted him to watch the film, but he is on holiday. It is very sweet that he kept interacting. I think he is going to watch the film soon there," the actor said.

Devgn also made it clear that Drishyam 3 is intended to be the final chapter, unlike its Malayalam counterpart. Having seen the film, the actor said he believes it has reached the right point to end the franchise. He also mentioned that it beats the previous part in terms of the drama. "It is the conclusion. Also, because I feel that it is very difficult to write a Drishyam. We want to end it on a high, and the way the script has shaped up, the film has shaped up, I think we should put a stop right now. I saw the film yesterday, and my personal opinion is that it beats 2 (Drishyam 2)," he explained.

Drishyam: The Conclusion is a completely new script

The actor further revealed that the third film has a completely new script and took nearly two years to develop. He explained that the challenge was not to create another murder mystery, but to continue Vijay Salgaonkar’s story while retaining the franchise’s trademark twists. Devgn added that the idea was never to simply make a sequel, but to find a story that naturally lent itself to the Drishyam world. The team reportedly worked through four rejected scripts before landing on one that had the twists, turns and shock value expected from the franchise.

Unlike Drishyam 2, which made some changes to the Malayalam original, including the addition of Akshaye Khanna's character, Devgn said the third film is entirely new. "The Hindi Drishyam, in the second part, we diverted it a little. The original (Malayalam film) did not have Akshaye Khanna’s character, but now, the third film is a completely new script. These are two different films, and the way Abhishek (director Abhishek Pathak) paand the writers have worked so hard on the script for nearly two years really gives you a high. The way it has shaped up, the scripting, it has come out fabulous, and that’s when we decided, ‘Okay, this should be the conclusion.’”

Drishyam works because it leaves the audience guessing

On returning to Vijay after several years, Devgn added that while the character cannot change drastically, his own experience has changed the way he approaches the role. He also said the biggest challenge was staying ahead of an audience that has become more evolved and can often anticipate thriller twists. He said that the Drishyam franchise can only work as long as it manages to keep the audience guessing. He also touched upon the film and its elements -- 2 October, Pav Bhaji and Goa becoming pop culture references. He said they never imagined it to become so big when they started out, but feel happy that it continues to find new audiences through different means.

At the heart of the franchise is Vijay Salgaonkar, a class four dropout, who uses his mind rather than physical strength to protect his family. Devgn said that is what he hopes audiences remember from the film. “The best thing you can remember is how a fourth-fail man can break all boundaries and fight, not physically but mentally, with everyone. It is about the strength a man can get who can go to any extent to protect his family.”

Also starring Shriya Saran, Tabu, Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishita Dutta and Saurabh Shukla, Drishyam: The Conclusion is slated to release in theatres on October 2, 2026.