Mohanlal's Drishyam 3 will be the END of the franchise, director Jeethu Joseph says, ‘trying to end this because people are asking me to stop it’

Mohanlal's Drishyam 3

• Director Jeethu Joseph confirms Drishyam 3 as the franchise's final chapter.
• Mohanlal returns as lead; film expected to release in first week of April
• Ajay Devgn's Hindi remake to release in Oct 2026, post Malayalam version.

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Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 is shaping up to be more than just another sequel. If director Jeethu Joseph has his way, it will mark the final chapter of one of Indian cinema’s most influential crime thriller franchises.

The much-anticipated third instalment, led once again by Mohanlal, is scheduled to release later this year. While speculation had been rife about a possible fourth film, Jeethu Joseph has now put those rumours to rest with unusually candid remarks about wanting to bring the series to a close.

In a recent online interview with Silly Monk Malayalam, the filmmaker made it clear that he has no plans to continue the franchise beyond this point. “I have not even thought of it in my dreams. I am trying to end this because even people are asking me to stop it. That’s why I am thinking this way,” Jeethu said, underscoring the pressure and responsibility that come with sustaining a beloved series.

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Speaking further at the inauguration of a hospital, Jeethu Joseph revealed that Drishyam 3 is expected to hit theatres in the first week of April, with an official announcement due soon. He also made a heartfelt appeal to audiences to approach the film without being weighed down by expectations built over the years. “Drishyam is a film that has influenced a lot of people over the years. It carries a huge weight of expectations within itself, and I ask everyone to watch it without any big expectations,” he said. He added that apart from Drishyam 3, his other film Valathu Vashathe Kallan will release on January 30, expressing confidence in that project as well.

Jeethu’s confirmation also clears the air around the release strategy of the Malayalam original and its Hindi remake. Earlier reports had suggested a simultaneous theatrical release for both versions. However, the makers of Ajay Devgn’s Hindi adaptation have already announced an October 2, 2026 release, placing it several months after the Malayalam film. This staggered approach ensures that the original once again sets the narrative benchmark.

Drishyam 3 continues the story of Georgekutty, a middle-class cable TV operator whose ordinary life unravels after the son of IG Geetha Prabhakar goes missing. The first film chronicled his desperate, calculated attempts to protect his family, while the 2021 sequel explored the lingering psychological and moral consequences of those choices.

The third instalment is expected to dig even deeper into that legacy, opening a new chapter in the family’s journey. Alongside Mohanlal, the film will feature Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Asha Sharath, Murali Gopi, Siddique, and others reprising their roles, bringing a long-running and emotionally charged saga closer to its intended conclusion.