The Drishyam franchise is not just another thriller series in Malayalam cinema. It is a rare cinematic phenomenon. The first film changed the way Indian audiences looked at family thrillers. The second film proved that a sequel could be intelligent, tense and emotionally convincing. Naturally, Drishyam 3 arrived with huge expectations.
Directed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Mohanlal as the unforgettable Georgekutty, Drishyam 3 continues the story of a man who has spent years protecting his family from one terrible secret. The film released on May 21, 2026, and the anticipation around it was massive, with reports noting strong advance bookings and a wide multilingual rollout.
But the question is: does Drishyam 3 match the brilliance of the first two films?
The honest answer is: not completely. But it still has enough emotional weight, Mohanlal’s controlled performance and a few strong thriller moments to keep the franchise alive.
Storyline
Drishyam 3 once again brings us back to Georgekutty and his family. Years have passed, but the past has not disappeared. What looked buried continues to haunt them in different ways.
The film explores how a family lives after surviving such a dangerous secret. Georgekutty is no longer just protecting his wife and daughters from the law. He is also fighting guilt, fear, suspicion and the possibility that his own cleverness may not be enough forever.
Like the earlier films, Drishyam 3 is built around the question: how far can Georgekutty go to protect his family?
This time, however, the suspense is less shocking and more emotional. The film is not only about hiding evidence. It is also about whether Georgekutty himself can continue carrying the burden of what happened.
Mohanlal as Georgekutty
The biggest strength of Drishyam 3 is undoubtedly Mohanlal.
Georgekutty is one of his most iconic characters, and Mohanlal understands him perfectly. He does not overplay the fear, intelligence or guilt. Instead, he keeps everything controlled. A small expression, a pause, a silent look or a slight change in voice is enough to show what Georgekutty is thinking.
In the first film, Georgekutty was the ordinary man who became extraordinary under pressure. In the second film, he became a master planner who stayed ahead of the system. In the third film, he feels more vulnerable. He still has intelligence, but he also carries emotional exhaustion.
That is where Mohanlal shines. He makes Georgekutty feel human again.
Several reviews have also noted that Mohanlal’s performance remains one of the strongest aspects of the film, even when the writing does not always match the earlier standards of the franchise.
Jeethu Joseph’s Direction
Jeethu Joseph knows the world of Drishyam better than anyone. He understands the rhythm of slow-burn suspense, family fear and psychological manipulation.
In Drishyam 3, he tries to expand the emotional consequences of Georgekutty’s actions. The film does not rush. It spends time with the family, their fears and the pressure of living under constant suspicion.
This works in some portions. The quieter moments give the film emotional depth. But the problem is that audiences now know the Drishyam formula very well. We expect hidden plans. We expect Georgekutty to think ahead. We expect a final reveal.
Because of that, Drishyam 3 does not surprise the way the first film did. Some critics have pointed out that the third film revisits familiar narrative patterns and does not feel as fresh as the earlier instalments.
That becomes the film’s biggest limitation.
The Suspense Factor
The first Drishyam worked because the audience slowly discovered Georgekutty’s brilliance. The second film worked because it cleverly showed how the past could return even after years.
Drishyam 3 has suspense, but it does not always have the same sharpness. The film has tense moments, especially in the second half, but the writing feels more dramatic than brilliantly clever in places.
The suspense is not weak, but it is familiar.
Viewers who loved the first two films may still enjoy watching Georgekutty return to the battlefield. But those expecting another shocking, game-changing twist may feel slightly underwhelmed.
The New Indian Express described the film as “short on thrills, not soul,” which is a fair way to understand the film. It may not be the most thrilling entry in the franchise, but it still carries emotional weight.
Family Emotion Works Better Than the Thriller Portions
One interesting thing about Drishyam 3 is that its emotional portions often work better than its thriller portions.
The film reminds us that Georgekutty’s family has not simply “moved on.” They may live normal lives from outside, but fear still sits inside the house. Every new threat feels personal because the family has already paid a heavy emotional price.
Meena, Ansiba Hassan and Esther Anil bring continuity to the family world. Their presence is important because Drishyam has always been about family first and crime second.
The best parts of Drishyam 3 are not always the twists. Sometimes, they are the moments where you see how much this secret has changed everyone.
What Works
The film works mainly because of:
- Mohanlal’s deeply controlled performance
- Georgekutty’s continued emotional complexity
- the strong legacy of the franchise
- a few effective tension-building moments
- the family drama beneath the thriller
- a second half that feels stronger than the first
For fans of the franchise, simply returning to Georgekutty’s world has value. The character has become so iconic that even a less brilliant Drishyam film remains watchable because of him.
The film has also generated huge box-office attention. Reports say Drishyam 3 crossed ₹100 crore worldwide within three days, showing the massive pull of the franchise and Mohanlal’s star power.
What Could Have Been Better
The biggest issue with Drishyam 3 is that the franchise now carries the weight of its own success.
The audience already knows Georgekutty is clever. So the film needs to work harder to surprise us. Unfortunately, some portions feel like they are walking on familiar ground.
The first half takes time to build. The emotional drama is important, but the pace may feel slow for viewers expecting a tight thriller from the beginning.
The final stretch has moments of impact, but the shock value is not as strong as the earlier films. Some reviewers have also felt that the film prioritises drama over intelligence and does not fully explore some of its stronger ideas.
Another issue is that the film appears to leave space for the franchise to continue. That may excite some fans, but others may feel Georgekutty’s story deserves a cleaner emotional closure.
Comparison with Drishyam and Drishyam 2
The original Drishyam remains the best film in the franchise because it had freshness, emotional urgency and a brilliant final reveal.
Drishyam 2 was a very strong sequel because it found a smart way to reopen the old case without damaging the first film.
Drishyam 3 is not as sharp as either of them. But it is not a careless sequel either. It has sincerity, emotional continuity and Mohanlal’s powerful presence.
The ranking would be:
- Drishyam — the classic
- Drishyam 2 — the intelligent sequel
- Drishyam 3 — emotional but less surprising
That does not mean Drishyam 3 fails. It simply means the first two films set an extremely high standard.
Box Office and Audience Response
Even with mixed critical reactions, Drishyam 3 has clearly created huge audience interest. The film reportedly had massive advance bookings before release, with strong demand in Kerala, Gulf countries, North America, the UK and Australia.
Its quick entry into the ₹100 crore worldwide club shows that the Drishyam brand remains extremely powerful. The audience still wants to know what happens to Georgekutty.
This is important because very few Malayalam franchises have achieved this kind of national and international recognition.
Verdict
Drishyam 3 may not recreate the shock and brilliance of the first film, and it may not feel as tightly written as the second. But it still works as an emotional continuation of Georgekutty’s journey.
Mohanlal carries the film with quiet power. Jeethu Joseph gives the story enough tension and emotional depth, even if the writing sometimes feels familiar. The film is strongest when it focuses on Georgekutty’s burden rather than trying to outsmart the audience at every turn.
For franchise fans, Drishyam 3 is worth watching. For thriller lovers expecting another landmark twist, it may feel slightly underwhelming.
Final Rating: 3/5 ⭐
Drishyam 3 is a watchable and emotional thriller powered by Mohanlal’s performance, but it does not fully match the intelligence, freshness and shock value of the first two films.
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