Drishyam 3: The Conclusion Review: Does Ajay Devgn Finally Deliver the Perfect Ending to Vijay Salgaonkar’s Story?

Drishyam 3: The Conclusion has finally arrived, and there is something almost poetic about its release date.

October 2.

The date that Vijay Salgaonkar turned into an elaborate alibi. The date that became one of the most recognisable recurring clues in modern Indian thriller cinema. And now, the same date becomes the theatrical release day for what has officially been billed as the final chapter of the Hindi Drishyam franchise.

Ajay Devgn is back as Vijay Salgaonkar. Tabu returns as Meera Deshmukh. Shriya Saran is back as Nandini. And this time, the Salgaonkar family faces a new and potentially more dangerous opponent, played by Jaideep Ahlawat.

But there is a major difference this time.

Drishyam 3: The Conclusion is not a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3.

For the first time, the Hindi and Malayalam franchises have taken completely different narrative roads.

So, is Drishyam 3 worth watching? Is Ajay Devgn’s final outing as Vijay Salgaonkar as clever as the first two films? How does it compare with Mohanlal’s Malayalam Drishyam 3? And does the much-awaited climax live up to the enormous expectations?

Let’s get into it.

Drishyam 3 Release Date: When and Where to Watch

Drishyam: The Conclusion released in theatres on October 2, 2026.

The film is directed by Abhishek Pathak, who also directed Drishyam 2.

The Hindi movie has a reported runtime of approximately 2 hours 50 minutes and belongs to the crime, mystery, drama and thriller genres.

The timing is particularly significant.

The original Drishyam films turned October 2 into a memorable part of Vijay Salgaonkar’s elaborate story. Bringing the franchise finale to theatres on the same date is therefore more than a release strategy — it is part of the franchise’s identity.

And after more than a decade of Vijay staying one step ahead of the law, audiences finally get to ask:

Can Vijay Salgaonkar escape one last time?

Drishyam 3 Cast

The principal cast of Drishyam: The Conclusion includes:

• Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar
• Tabu as Meera Deshmukh
• Shriya Saran as Nandini Salgaonkar
• Jaideep Ahlawat as Rajveer Singh Tomar
• Prakash Raj
• Ishita Dutta as Anju Salgaonkar
• Mrunal Jadhav as Anu Salgaonkar
• Rajat Kapoor as Mahesh Deshmukh
• Kamlesh Sawant as Inspector Gaitonde

Jaideep Ahlawat is one of the biggest new additions to the franchise. Interestingly, Akshaye Khanna was originally associated with the third film but exited shortly before shooting. The makers subsequently changed the character rather than simply recasting the same role, with Jaideep Ahlawat joining the film.

That casting change turns out to be important because Drishyam 3 needed an antagonist who could create a completely different kind of pressure for Vijay.

Drishyam 3 Story: What Is the Movie About?

Without giving away the major twists, the story once again revolves around the Salgaonkar family’s buried secret.

Years have passed since the events of the previous films.

Vijay has attempted to build a normal life while living with the consequences of what happened in the past.

But secrets have a strange habit of refusing to remain buried.

Meera Deshmukh has never truly accepted what happened to her son. Her grief and desire for justice continue to hang over the Salgaonkar family.

This time, however, the investigation gets a fresh push.

A new law-enforcement force enters Vijay’s life, and the central conflict becomes more sophisticated than simply asking whether the police can prove Vijay’s involvement.

The real question becomes:

What happens when someone understands the game Vijay has been playing?

The official synopsis describes the film as following Vijay and his family as they face new threats from people determined to uncover their secret, forcing Vijay to devise increasingly elaborate plans while confronting betrayal, sacrifice and the consequences of his past.

That is the heart of Drishyam 3.

It isn’t simply another “Vijay versus police” story.

It is about whether a man can keep controlling the narrative after spending years constructing it.

Drishyam 3 Is NOT the Hindi Remake of Malayalam Drishyam 3

This is perhaps the most important thing audiences need to know before buying their tickets.

The first two Hindi Drishyam films were adaptations of the Malayalam franchise starring Mohanlal as Georgekutty.

But that changes with the third instalment.

Drishyam: The Conclusion has its own Hindi story and screenplay.

The makers have explicitly explained that the Malayalam and Hindi third instalments follow different stories and treatments. The Hindi film is designed as a family thriller, while the Malayalam version takes its own narrative route.

That means audiences can actually watch both versions without simply watching the same film twice.

And that makes Drishyam 3 versus Malayalam Drishyam 3 one of the most fascinating comparisons in Indian cinema this year.

Drishyam 3 Malayalam: What Happened in Mohanlal’s Version?

The Malayalam Drishyam 3, directed and written by Jeethu Joseph, arrived earlier, on May 21, 2026.

Mohanlal returned as Georgekutty, with Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Siddique, Asha Sharath and Murali Gopy among the principal cast. The Central Board of Film Certification’s record lists the Malayalam film as a 159.5-minute UA 16+ film.

The Malayalam Drishyam 3 takes Georgekutty’s story forward by examining the consequences of everything that happened previously.

Rather than simply repeating the formula of the first two films, Jeethu Joseph moves deeper into the emotional and psychological consequences of Georgekutty’s decisions.

Critics were divided in an interesting way.

India Today described it as more dramatic and less focused on the cleverness that characterised the earlier films, while Filmfare praised Mohanlal’s internalised performance and described the film as an emotionally layered thriller.

BookMyShow’s audience data, meanwhile, showed a strong response, with an 8.2/10 user score at the time of its listing and high audience tags for acting, direction and story.

The biggest takeaway is this:

Mohanlal’s Georgekutty and Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar are now heading toward different destinations.

That is unprecedented for this franchise.

Drishyam 2015: How It All Started

To understand why Drishyam 3 carries so much pressure, you have to go back to 2015.

The Hindi Drishyam, directed by the late Nishikant Kamat, introduced audiences to Vijay Salgaonkar — an ordinary man with limited formal education but an extraordinary ability to understand stories, people and circumstances.

Vijay’s biggest strength wasn’t physical power.

It was imagination.

When his family became involved in a horrifying incident, Vijay constructed an elaborate chain of events designed to create doubt and establish an alibi.

The brilliance of the first film was that it transformed an apparently ordinary family into the centre of a sophisticated cat-and-mouse game.

Ajay Devgn played Vijay with restraint rather than traditional Bollywood heroism.

There were no larger-than-life action sequences.

No superhuman abilities.

Just a man sitting quietly, thinking several moves ahead.

The 2015 film also featured Tabu, Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta and Rajat Kapoor. Times of India rated the film 4/5 and highlighted its suspenseful storytelling and nail-biting finish.

Other contemporary critics also praised the film’s gripping thriller construction, although comparisons with the original Malayalam film were inevitable.

Drishyam 2: The Pressure Gets Bigger

Then came Drishyam 2 in 2022.

The sequel had a much more difficult job.

The first film’s central mystery was already known.

So how do you make another thriller when the audience already knows what happened?

The answer was to focus on the aftermath.

Vijay had successfully created his story, but the possibility of the truth resurfacing never disappeared.

The arrival of Akshaye Khanna’s character brought renewed pressure on the Salgaonkar family.

The sequel expanded the police investigation while examining the psychological consequences of living with a secret.

Ajay Devgn once again played Vijay as a man who rarely loses control.

Tabu’s Meera Deshmukh remained an equally important emotional and dramatic force.

Drishyam 2 received a 3.5/5 critic rating from Times of India, which praised its twists and turns, while The Indian Express gave it 3/5 and noted that the film effectively continued the central family-versus-law conflict.

And commercially, the second film transformed the franchise into a much bigger Bollywood phenomenon.

What Makes Drishyam 3 Special?

There are hundreds of thrillers.

There are dozens of sequels.

But very few franchises make audiences remember a date.

Ask a casual moviegoer about October 2 and there is a reasonable chance they will think of Vijay Salgaonkar before thinking about the calendar.

That is the cultural impact of Drishyam.

But Drishyam 3 has another advantage:

It isn’t simply copying the Malayalam story this time.

That creates genuine uncertainty.

Even viewers who have already watched Malayalam Drishyam 3 don’t automatically know where Vijay’s story is going.

For a thriller franchise, that is enormously valuable.

The Hindi filmmakers have effectively created a situation where:

Same franchise.
Same central character.
Different story.
Different antagonist.
Different ending.

That is what makes this third film more interesting than a conventional remake sequel.

Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar: Still the Biggest Strength

Ajay Devgn doesn’t need to shout to dominate a Drishyam scene.

In fact, his restraint is one of the character’s greatest weapons.

Vijay isn’t supposed to look like a criminal mastermind.

He is supposed to look like a normal middle-class family man who happens to be extraordinarily good at constructing narratives.

That contradiction is what makes the character fascinating.

In Drishyam 3, Devgn continues to play Vijay through tiny changes in expression, controlled dialogue delivery and calculated silences.

The character has evolved.

The Vijay of the first film was reacting to an unimaginable crisis.

The Vijay of the third film carries years of consequences on his shoulders.

And Devgn understands that difference.

His performance works best when he says very little.

One look can communicate:

“I know what you’re trying to do.”

Tabu as Meera Deshmukh

Tabu has always been one of the secret weapons of this franchise.

Her Meera isn’t simply a conventional antagonist.

She is a mother devastated by the death of her son.

Her obsession with finding the truth comes from grief, anger and an overwhelming desire for justice.

That makes the conflict much more complicated than Vijay versus an ordinary police officer.

Tabu gives Meera an emotional intensity that keeps the story grounded.

Even when the screenplay becomes more elaborate, her presence reminds us that behind the investigation is a family that has suffered too.

Jaideep Ahlawat: The New Threat

If Ajay Devgn is the calm centre of the film, Jaideep Ahlawat brings a different kind of energy.

His character, Rajveer Singh Tomar, gives the franchise a new investigative presence.

This isn’t simply an Akshaye Khanna replacement.

The makers chose to change the character itself after Khanna’s exit, according to director Abhishek Pathak.

That decision allows Ahlawat to bring his own personality to the franchise.

His performance is particularly effective because he doesn’t try to imitate the tone established by earlier antagonists.

He feels like a fresh challenge.

And that is exactly what Drishyam 3 needed.

Prakash Raj Adds Another Layer

Prakash Raj is another important addition to the film’s dramatic equation.

His presence brings gravitas and a different rhythm to the investigation.

Where Vijay relies on silence and calculated behaviour, Prakash Raj’s character operates through confrontation and legal pressure.

The combination gives the second half considerably more dramatic weight.

Drishyam 3 Plot and Climax: Does It Work?

This is where things become complicated.

And this is where I would advise audiences not to read detailed spoiler-heavy reviews before watching the movie.

The first half takes time establishing the new situation and bringing the characters back into position.

Several reviews have pointed out that the opening portion can feel slower than expected.

But the tension gradually builds.

The conflict between Vijay and Rajveer becomes particularly important, while the second half increases the pressure and starts revealing how the new investigation fits into the larger story.

The final stretch is where Drishyam 3 becomes most recognisably Drishyam.

Plans.

Counter-plans.

Hidden information.

Misleading assumptions.

And finally, the inevitable question:

Who is actually controlling the story?

Some critics have loved the finale.

The Indian Express praised Ajay Devgn and Tabu and described the film as a satisfying conclusion, while Pinkvilla highlighted the impact of the final stretch.

But not everyone was equally convinced.

India Today felt that although the film contains clever twists, the finale doesn’t completely reach the extraordinary expectations created by the earlier films.

That difference of opinion is important.

Drishyam 3 isn’t a universally agreed masterpiece.

But it certainly gives audiences plenty to discuss.

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What Are Critics Saying About Drishyam 3?

Early reviews are broadly positive, although there are reservations about pacing and the degree of plausibility required by some of the twists.

The Indian Express praised the performances and called it a fitting conclusion.

Times of India gave the film 3.5/5, praising its ability to maintain tension while noting that the ending can feel somewhat tiring.

Hindustan Times was more cautious, describing the final trick as dramatic but not completely spellbinding.

Moneycontrol similarly praised the tension created by Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat but questioned whether all the answers are equally convincing.

Rotten Tomatoes currently lists three critic reviews, ranging from 3/5 to 4/5, reflecting that mixed-but-positive early critical response.

So the emerging critical consensus is something like this:

Strong performances + effective suspense + franchise nostalgia + an ambitious finale, but with some pacing and plausibility concerns.

Drishyam 3 vs Drishyam 2 vs Drishyam: Which One Feels Different?

The three Hindi films have slightly different strengths.

Drishyam (2015)

The freshest concept.

The most grounded setup.

The strongest sense of discovery.

Drishyam 2 (2022)

A clever continuation.

More pressure.

A larger investigation.

Greater commercial scale.

Drishyam: The Conclusion (2026)

A more independent story.

A new antagonist.

Higher emotional stakes.

And, most importantly, a completely different destination from Malayalam Drishyam 3.

The third film therefore isn’t trying to recreate the surprise of the first movie.

It is trying to answer a much harder question:

How do you end the story of a character who has spent two movies convincing everyone that his version of reality is the truth?

My Personal Review of Drishyam 3

Here’s my biggest takeaway:

Drishyam 3 works because Vijay Salgaonkar remains fascinating.

The franchise could easily have become repetitive.

Another murder mystery.

Another investigation.

Another police officer.

Another Vijay trick.

But the decision to create an independent Hindi story gives the film enough breathing room to justify its existence.

The film is not as revolutionary as the first Drishyam.

It doesn’t have the same novelty.

And some portions could have been tighter.

But when the film enters its final stretch, it remembers exactly why audiences fell in love with Vijay Salgaonkar in the first place.

The pleasure of Drishyam isn’t simply discovering what happened.

It is watching Vijay figure out how to make everyone believe something else happened.

That remains the franchise’s magic formula.

Ajay Devgn continues to be perfectly cast as Vijay.

Tabu remains formidable.

Jaideep Ahlawat provides a fresh challenge.

And Abhishek Pathak deserves credit for taking the Hindi franchise into its own narrative territory rather than simply reproducing the Malayalam story.

My Rating: ⭐ 3.5/5

Story: 3.5/5
Screenplay: 3.5/5
Performances: 4/5
Direction: 3.5/5
Thrill factor: 4/5
Climax: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

For fans of the franchise, this is a theatrical watch.

For people who haven’t seen Drishyam 1 and 2, however, watch those first.

You will understand Vijay Salgaonkar much better — and the emotional and narrative stakes of the third film will hit harder.

Is Drishyam 3 Worth Watching?

Yes, particularly if you are already invested in the Drishyam franchise.

The biggest reason to watch it is not simply the mystery.

It is the character of Vijay Salgaonkar.

This is a man who has spent years constructing a fictional version of reality to protect his family.

Now that reality is coming back to challenge him.

And watching that collision on a big screen is exactly what makes Drishyam 3 interesting.

If you’re expecting the first Drishyam’s freshness, keep your expectations realistic.

If you’re expecting a suspense thriller with Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Jaideep Ahlawat and a final Vijay Salgaonkar masterstroke, the film has plenty to offer.

Drishyam 3 vs Malayalam Drishyam 3: Should You Watch Both?

Absolutely.

And this is probably the most interesting experiment the franchise has unintentionally created.

Earlier, watching Hindi Drishyam after Malayalam Drishyam could feel like comparing two versions of essentially the same story.

That isn’t the case anymore.

Mohanlal’s Georgekutty and Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar now have separate journeys.

Jeethu Joseph’s Malayalam version continues Georgekutty’s story in a more emotionally introspective direction.

Abhishek Pathak’s Hindi version takes Vijay into a different family-thriller narrative.

Therefore, watching one does not spoil the entire experience of the other.

The two films can be viewed as parallel interpretations of the same larger cinematic universe rather than conventional remakes.

Will There Be Drishyam 4 in Hindi?

This is where fans should pay attention.

For the Hindi franchise, Drishyam: The Conclusion has been described as the final chapter, and director Abhishek Pathak has said the Hindi franchise ends with this third instalment.

The Malayalam franchise is different.

Producer Antony Perumbavoor has confirmed plans for another Malayalam Drishyam film, while details remain limited.

So:

Hindi Drishyam: Vijay Salgaonkar’s story concludes with Drishyam: The Conclusion.

Malayalam Drishyam: Georgekutty’s story continues.

That distinction could become increasingly important if the Malayalam franchise moves ahead with another sequel.

Final Verdict

Drishyam: The Conclusion is not merely another Bollywood sequel. It is the closing chapter of one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable modern thriller franchises.

The genius of Drishyam has always been its simplicity.

An ordinary family.

An extraordinary problem.

One man.

One secret.

And a story powerful enough to make audiences question whether the person they are watching is a hero, a criminal, a loving father — or all three at once.

Drishyam 3 doesn’t reinvent that formula.

Instead, it gives Vijay Salgaonkar one final game to play.

And this time, the audience already knows the rules.

Or at least they think they do.

Because with Vijay Salgaonkar, the biggest danger is always assuming that you know what you are seeing.

Drishyam: The Conclusion — 3.5/5 ⭐

Drishyam 3 FAQs

When was Drishyam 3 released in Hindi?

Drishyam: The Conclusion released in Hindi theatres on October 2, 2026.

What is the official name of Drishyam 3?

The official title of the Hindi film is Drishyam: The Conclusion.

Who plays Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam 3?

Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar.

Who directed Drishyam 3 Hindi?

Abhishek Pathak directed Drishyam: The Conclusion.

Is Drishyam 3 a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3?

No. Unlike the first two Hindi films, Drishyam: The Conclusion follows a separate Hindi story and screenplay. The Malayalam Drishyam 3 and Hindi Drishyam 3 have different narratives.

Who plays the main antagonist in Drishyam 3?

Jaideep Ahlawat plays Rajveer Singh Tomar, a new investigative force in Vijay’s life.

Is Tabu in Drishyam 3?

Yes. Tabu returns as Meera Deshmukh.

Is Shriya Saran in Drishyam 3?

Yes. Shriya Saran returns as Nandini Salgaonkar.

Is Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3?

No. Akshaye Khanna was originally associated with the project but exited before filming. The makers subsequently developed a new character for Jaideep Ahlawat rather than simply replacing Khanna in the same role.

Is Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 connected to Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 3?

Both belong to the broader Drishyam franchise, but their third films follow different stories. Mohanlal plays Georgekutty in the Malayalam series, while Ajay Devgn plays Vijay Salgaonkar in the Hindi series.

When did Malayalam Drishyam 3 release?

Mohanlal’s Malayalam Drishyam 3 released on May 21, 2026.

Who directed Malayalam Drishyam 3?

Jeethu Joseph, who created and directed the original Malayalam Drishyam franchise, directed and wrote Drishyam 3.

Is Drishyam 3 the last Hindi movie?

Yes. Director Abhishek Pathak has described Drishyam: The Conclusion as the end of the Hindi franchise.

Will there be Drishyam 4 in Malayalam?

A further Malayalam instalment has been confirmed as being in development, although the detailed story and production information remain limited.

Is Drishyam 3 worth watching?

For fans of Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar and the Drishyam franchise, yes. The film offers a new Hindi storyline, strong performances and a final chapter rather than simply adapting Malayalam Drishyam 3 again.

What is my Drishyam 3 rating?

3.5/5 stars.

The performances, particularly Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Jaideep Ahlawat, are among the film’s strongest elements. The thriller works best in its latter half, although the pacing and plausibility of some developments may divide viewers.