🔥 The Final Chapter of the Malayalam Run
Before Ajay Devgn brings Vijay Salgaonkar to Hindi cinema screens on October 2, the original — Mohanlal's Malayalam version — has completed its theatrical journey. And it has done so with a legacy that the Drishyam franchise entirely deserves.
On Day 23 of its run, Drishyam 3 (Malayalam) earned ₹25 lakh — a modest final-week collection that reflects a film running out of theatrical steam while heading toward its June 18 OTT premiere. The total India net collection stands at ₹108.23 crore across 23 days. Total India gross: ₹127.71 crore.
📊 Week-Wise Collection Breakdown
| 📅 Period | 💰 India Net |
|---|---|
| Week 1 (8-day extended) | ₹81.95 Crore |
| Week 2 | ₹20.68 Crore |
| Week 3 | ₹5.35 Crore |
| Day 23 (June 13) | ₹25 Lakh |
| Running Total | ₹108.23 Crore |
| Expected Lifetime | ₹110–112 Crore |
🏆 Where It Stands in Mollywood History
| 🏅 Rank | 🎬 Film | 💰 India Net |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra | ₹157.01 Crore |
| 🥈 2 | Manjummel Boys | ₹142.08 Crore |
| 🥉 3 | Vaazha 2 | ₹129.42 Crore |
| 4️⃣ | Thudarum | ₹122 Crore |
| 5️⃣ | Drishyam 3 | ₹108.23 Crore |
| 6️⃣ | L2: Empuraan | ₹106.77 Crore |
| 7️⃣ | 2018 | ₹92.85 Crore |
| 8️⃣ | Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life | ₹85.26 Crore |
| 9️⃣ | Aavesham | ₹85.15 Crore |
| 🔟 | Sarvam Maya | ₹76.84 Crore |
🔍 The Honest Assessment — A Worthy But Flawed Finale
The Malayalam film industry — and the Drishyam fan community — has already delivered its verdict. Drishyam 3 is the franchise's weakest chapter: a well-crafted thriller that works primarily in its final 15 minutes and felt, to many viewers, like it was going through familiar motions before arriving at its genuinely effective climax.
The ₹108 crore net is a significant number. It is also, given Drishyam 2's extraordinary ₹280+ crore Hindi run and the Malayalam franchise's immense built-in goodwill, a number that reflects measured rather than enthusiastic audience response. The film opened massive — ₹81.95 crore in its extended first week — but held less strongly than the franchise's previous entries, suggesting the word-of-mouth was positive but not electric.
As Mollywood's fifth highest-grosser of all time, Drishyam 3 completes a trilogy that remains one of Indian cinema's most beloved thriller franchises. The Hindi version — with Ajay Devgn, Tabu, and a completely rewritten third act — arrives October 2. The question of whether that version improves on the Malayalam template is the one the entire Bollywood thriller community is now waiting to answer. 🎭