Reviewed by Arpi. Updated 22 October 2026 with box office figures and OTT news.
Quick answer
Yes, if you liked the first two films. I watched it in a theatre. The first half takes its time and a few scenes stretch, but the second half tightens the investigation, and the ending closes Vijay Salgaonkar's story. Jaideep Ahlawat is the new threat that makes it work. My rating is 8/10.
| Director | Abhishek Pathak |
| Writers | Aamil Keeyan Khan, Abhishek Pathak, Parveez Shaikh |
| Cast | Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Jaideep Ahlawat, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Language | Hindi |
| Release date | October 2, 2026 (theatres) |
| Runtime | 2h 30m |
| Certificate | UA16+ |
| Streaming | Netflix, date not announced |
| IMDb | See IMDb rating and full cast |
Story without spoilers
Drishyam: The Conclusion, also called Drishyam 3, picks up after Drishyam 2. Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) still wants the truth about her son. This time she has SP Rajveer Singh Tomar of the Crime Branch, who takes the case on fresh, and a lawyer played by Prakash Raj. Screenwriter Murad Ali (Saurabh Shukla) is back as well, and Meera asks him the question the whole audience is asking: what will Vijay do next?
Vijay has spent years protecting a version of events that has held up so far. The film asks whether it can hold up one more time. I'll leave the plot there.
The family is Ajay Devgn as Vijay, Shriya Saran as Nandini, Ishita Dutta as Anju and Mrunal Jadhav as Anu. Opposite them are Tabu as IG Meera Deshmukh and Rajat Kapoor as her husband Mahesh, with Jaideep Ahlawat as Rajveer Singh Tomar.
Drishyam: The Conclusion box office: hit or flop?
Hit, and a big one. After 17 days the film had earned about ₹347 crore net in India, according to Sacnilk's running estimates. The makers' own count had it at ₹452.14 crore gross worldwide by Day 9, with more than ₹100 crore of that from overseas. It's Ajay Devgn's biggest film in India and worldwide, ahead of Singham Again, according to Oneindia. I couldn't find an official budget, so I won't put a profit figure on it.
India net collection, first 9 days (₹ crore)
Day 1 was Friday, October 2, Days 2 and 3 completed the first weekend, and Day 9 was the second Saturday. Three things stand out. The first weekend was huge, with ₹176.5 crore across three days. Monday fell by roughly two thirds from Sunday, which is normal for a front-loaded franchise film. And the second Saturday, at ₹26.5 crore, was nearly double the Friday before it, so people were still turning up.
| Period | India net (₹ crore) |
|---|---|
| Week 1 (Oct 2 to 8) | 245.50 |
| Week 2 (Oct 9 to 15) | 87.50 |
| Day 15 to 17 (Oct 16 to 18) | 3.10, 5.00, 6.15 |
| Total after 17 days | about 347 |
Figures are Sacnilk estimates as of October 18, 2026, and they shift as final numbers come in. The worldwide figure is the makers' own statement. Producer numbers usually run higher than trade estimates, so don't compare the two directly.
Drishyam 3 Hindi vs Malayalam: same story?
No. The Hindi film isn't a remake of Mohanlal's Malayalam Drishyam 3. Both start where their second parts ended, then they go in different directions and finish differently.
The makers said so before release. Abhishek Pathak called the Malayalam film an emotional family drama and the Hindi one a family thriller. At the trailer launch in Goa, Ajay Devgn said the Hindi film has a completely different script and shouldn't be read as an adapted version of the Malayalam one. Having seen it, I agree. If you've already watched Mohanlal's film, you won't be watching the same story twice.
| Hindi | Malayalam | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Drishyam: The Conclusion | Drishyam 3 |
| Lead | Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar | Mohanlal as Georgekutty |
| Director | Abhishek Pathak | Jeethu Joseph |
| Released | October 2, 2026 | May 21, 2026 |
| Runtime | 2h 30m | 2h 39m |
| Tone, per Pathak | Family thriller | Emotional family drama |
| Streaming | Netflix, no date yet | Prime Video since June 18 |
| Worldwide gross | ₹452.14 crore by Day 9 (makers) | Over ₹330 crore in 30 days |
How the two franchises line up
| Chapter | Malayalam | Hindi |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Drishyam (2013) | Drishyam (2015, Nishikant Kamat) |
| Part 2 | Drishyam 2 (2021) | Drishyam 2 (Nov 18, 2022, Abhishek Pathak) |
| Part 3 | Drishyam 3 (May 21, 2026) | Drishyam: The Conclusion (Oct 2, 2026) |
What works and what doesn't
The second half is the strongest part. The first half takes its time, but the tension builds, especially once Jaideep Ahlawat's character starts pressing on Vijay. From there the investigation, the scene at the house, the legal arguments and the fight over evidence all tighten.
By the third film everyone knows Vijay will look for a way out. The suspense is in how he bends the evidence, the investigation and the legal arguments around his version of events, and whether anyone can finally catch him at it. The film builds its tension around that "how", and it works.
The first half is the weak spot. A few scenes stretch, and the story takes longer than it needs to move forward. The payoff arrives late, so if you want twists from the start, you'll need some patience.
Jaideep Ahlawat and the Akshaye Khanna exit
Rajveer Singh Tomar is a separate character from Drishyam 2's IG Tarun Ahlawat. He's a more detached investigator, and his arrival changes the pressure on Vijay and gives the second half its intensity. Several of his scenes hit harder than I expected, especially when he faces Vijay directly. Those face-offs are the film at its best.
There's a backstory. Akshaye Khanna, who played Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2, left the project. Producer Kumar Mangat Pathak told ANI that Ahlawat took over the part Khanna had been set to play, in a new form. When Prakash Raj joined, he said he wasn't replacing anyone. The film had to make up for losing a Drishyam 2 cast member, and for me Ahlawat does.
My take
I watched it in a packed theatre, and the second half held the room. Drishyam was never an action franchise, and the finale doesn't try to become one. There's no stunt set piece. The tension is the slow-burn kind that made the earlier films work, built from what Vijay keeps to himself.
It isn't perfect, and the first half could lose a few minutes. Still, it's a confident ending to a franchise that could easily have stretched itself thin, and the performances carry it through the slower stretches. The final stretch brings back the evidence games and legal manoeuvring fans came for, and it doesn't cheat the title's promise. If you like crime thrillers that take their time, my reviews of Shaque: Trust No One and Daayra cover two more from this year.
WatchVerdict scorecard
These scores are my own assessment, not industry ratings.
| Category | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| Story | 8/10 | |
| Suspense | 8/10 | |
| Performances | 9/10 | |
| First half | 7/10 | |
| Second half | 9/10 | |
| Climax | 9/10 | |
| Overall | 8/10 |
9 to 10 Must Watch. 8 Worth a Watch. 6 to 7 Watch if Curious. 5 or below Skip.
Is it for you?
| You are | My advice |
|---|---|
| A fan of both earlier Hindi films | Go. This is the audience it was made for. |
| Someone who saw only Mohanlal's Drishyam 3 | Go. The story and ending are different, so nothing carries over. |
| New to Drishyam | Watch the first two Hindi films first. This one continues straight from Drishyam 2. |
| Someone who wants a fast thriller from minute one | Wait for Netflix, where you can skim the slow first half. |
Where to watch Drishyam: The Conclusion
For now, only in theatres. Netflix holds the streaming rights, and a Siasat report says the film's opening credits show it. Neither Netflix nor the makers have announced a date. Reports estimate mid to late November, a typical six to eight week window, but that's an estimate. Last checked October 22, 2026.
FAQs
Is Drishyam: The Conclusion worth watching?
Yes. I rate it 8/10. The first half is slow in places, and the second half and the ending make up for it.
Is it a hit or a flop?
A hit. It earned about ₹347 crore net in India in 17 days, per Sacnilk estimates.
Is it the same as the Malayalam Drishyam 3?
No. Both continue from their second parts but tell different stories with different endings.
Do I need to watch the earlier films first?
I'd watch the two Hindi films first. This one continues directly from Drishyam 2. You don't need the Malayalam films.
Who plays the new investigator?
Jaideep Ahlawat plays SP Rajveer Singh Tomar of the Crime Branch, a new character.
When will it come to OTT?
Netflix has the rights. No date has been announced, and reports estimate mid to late November.
Read more:
- Shaque: Trust No One (2026) Review
- Daayra (2026) Review: Is Kareena Kapoor's Crime Thriller Worth It?
- Street Fighter (2026): Release Date, Cast & Trailer
Sources: India net figures from Sacnilk. Worldwide figure from the makers' statement, reported by DT Next. Malayalam figures from Gulf News.
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