Filmmakers Abhishek Pathak and Kumar Mangat Pathak have revealed that the upcoming Malayalam and Hindi versions of Drishyam 3 will follow different narrative trajectories, offering audiences two distinct cinematic experiences within the same franchise universe.
Known for its gripping storytelling, unexpected twists and powerful performances, the Drishyam franchise has built a loyal fan base across languages and regions over the years.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Abhishek Pathak, who is directing the Hindi version, said the two films will differ significantly in tone and treatment. “The Malayalam version shifts more into an emotional family drama, whereas the Hindi version will lean towards a drama-thriller. It will be exciting for audiences to watch both and observe how the stories evolve differently,” he said.
The franchise began with the 2013 Malayalam film starring Mohanlal, followed by its sequel in 2022. Both films were directed by Jeethu Joseph. The third Malayalam instalment is slated to release in theatres on May 21.
The massive success of Drishyam led to remakes in several languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Mandarin and Sinhalese. The Hindi adaptation, directed by the late Nishikant Kamat and headlined by Ajay Devgn, released in 2015 and emerged as a major box-office success. Its sequel, directed by Abhishek Pathak, arrived in 2022. The Hindi version of Drishyam 3 is scheduled to hit theatres on October 2.
Abhishek and Kumar Mangat Pathak are also distributing the Malayalam film under their banner, Panorama Studios.
According to Abhishek, both versions were developed independently to suit their respective audiences. “I wrote the Hindi story keeping the audience’s expectations from Vijay Salgaonkar in mind. Jeethu Joseph developed his own version for Malayalam viewers. Later, we exchanged drafts and loved what each other had written,” said the filmmaker, who has co-written the screenplay with Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh.
Drishyam 3, slated for a theatrical release on October 2, will see Ajay Devgn reprise his role as Vijay Salgaonkar. The film also marks the return of Shriya Saran as Vijay’s wife and Tabu as IG Meera Deshmukh. Actor Jaideep Ahlawat has been cast in a role that was previously set to be played by Akshaye Khanna.
Drishyam was released in 2015, followed by Drishyam 2 in 2022.