Towards the end of May 2025, director-producer Abhishek Pathak - who helmed the Hindi remake of Drishyam 2 - announced the release date of Drishyam 3, with Ajay Devgn returning as the main lead. The film is slated to release on Gandhi Jayanti 2026, which falls on October 2. Although the Malayalam Drishyam 3 was announced earlier, its release date had not been confirmed at that point. ‘Drishyam 3’ vs ‘King’? Ajay Devgn’s Hit Franchise Books Gandhi Jayanti 2026 Release Date – Will It Clash With Shah Rukh Khan’s Upcoming Movie at Box Office? Here's What We Know!

As the Hindi Drishyam 3 announcement came with a release date, there was speculation that the movie might be original, unlike the previous two Drishyam movies in Hindi, exploring a different arc in the twisted journey of Vijay Salgaonkar and how he would once again protect his family from the police.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case, as revealed by Drishyam franchise creator Jeethu Joseph in a recent interview. On June 21, 2025, Drishyam 3 in Malayalam was officially announced again, with the shooting beginning in October 2025.

'Drishyam 3' to Share the Same Script in Both Malayalam and Hindi

Speaking to The Times of India, the director disclosed that the Malayalam original and its Hindi counterpart are working collaboratively to reach cinemas, alongside the Telugu version, which stars Venkatesh Daggubati in the lead.

Discussing Drishyam 3 and its Hindi remake sharing the same storyline, Jeethu Joseph said, "The script of the third film is nearing completion. There have been reports suggesting that the Hindi version will have a different story, but that's not true. The Hindi film will also be based on my story. Once I complete my script, it will be shared with the Hindi team, who will then adapt it to suit their setting and make appropriate cultural changes."

'Drishyam 3' Malayalam Announcement

 

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'Drishyam 3': Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi Versions to Release Simultaneously?

While Jeethu Joseph mentioned that a simultaneous release might be difficult due to the actors’ busy schedules - making coordination a logistical nightmare - he didn’t rule out the possibility entirely. The director added, "There was a request from their side for a simultaneous release. So, we’ve been discussing the prospect of releasing the films together - not just the Malayalam and Hindi versions, but the Telugu one as well. In this OTT age, they feel that staggered release dates could reduce the impact of the film in other languages."

Abhishek Pathak Hinted at This Strategy in 2022

Following the box office success of the Hindi Drishyam 2, director Abhishek Pathak had hinted at such a collaborative strategy in an interview with OTTPlay back in 2022. ‘Drishyam 3’ Confirmed for October 2025: Mohanlal Announces Much-Awaited Sequel to Popular Malayalam Crime Thriller (Watch Video).

'Drishyam 3' Hindi Announcement

 

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He had shared his intent to work closely with Jeethu Joseph for Drishyam 3 to prevent spoilers - particularly the climax - being leaked to Hindi audiences in advance. He had said, "We’re going to collaborate and do something together this time. Because the current trend of them coming first and us following won’t work in the future. We might start shooting together; we have to figure those things out. But let’s see—it’s a very far-fetched plan right now. We have Mohanlal Sir and Ajay Sir, so a lot of things need to be aligned."

The 'Drishyam' Legacy

The first Drishyam film debuted in Malayalam cinema in 2013, written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. With Mohanlal in the lead, the film became a massive box office success, widely praised for its gripping narrative and the iconic twist ending. It inspired numerous remakes in other languages, including Drishya (Kannada, 2014), Drushyam (Telugu, 2014), Papanasam (Tamil, 2015), Drishyam (Hindi, 2015), as well as adaptations in Sinhala (Dharmayuddhaya, 2017) and Chinese (Sheep Without a Shepherd, 2019). The Hindi remake was directed by the late Nishikant Kamat and starred Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and Shriya Saran.

Despite considerable hype, Drishyam 2 (Malayalam) skipped a theatrical release due to the COVID-19 pandemic and premiered directly on Prime Video in February 2021. It was lauded once again for its cleverly woven twists.

Like the original, the Telugu remake of Drishyam 2 - also directed by Jeethu Joseph - was released directly on Prime Video. However, the Kannada and Hindi remakes opted for theatrical releases. The Hindi version, directed by Abhishek Pathak (who replaced the late Nishikant Kamat), was released in 2022 and became the second highest-grossing Hindi film of that year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 23, 2025 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).