At the Goa trailer launch of Drishyam: The Conclusion, Ajay Devgn confirmed this third Hindi film will be the final chapter of the hit thriller franchise, saying it’s best to “leave it at the top.” Emphasising that the script is entirely different from the Malayalam Drishyam 3, he expressed a strong wish for Mohanlal to watch the film and said earning his approval would mean a lot.
Ajay Devgn, who will reprise his role as the famed Vijay Salgaonkar in the highly anticipated Drishyam: The Conclusion, opened the recent trailer launch in Goa by addressing the question on everyone’s mind that afternoon. Will there be a Drishyam 4? The actor put it simply: “We all thought that this movie should be the conclusion. I don’t think we should even attempt to go beyond this point because, as with everything, it’s best if you leave it at the top.”
Devgn was also joined by the rest of the film’s cast, including Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Mrunal Jadhav and director Abhishek Pathak on September 9.
Looking back at Drishyam 2, Devgn admitted he wasn't sure if the third instalment would even come together, given how difficult it is to continue a story with as many twists and turns. "It's nearly impossible to keep the story nearly as interesting or intriguing," he said.
The Drishyam franchise has long been the subject of debate over its subject, with the Hindi films based on the Malayalam series directed by Jeethu Joseph and headlined by veteran actor Mohanlal. During the event, Devgn also took the opportunity to address this.
“This film is a big challenge for us because the second part was, in a way, inspired by the original. But this is a completely different script. Their third film [Drishyam 3] and our film are completely different. I want Lal sir [Mohanlal] to see the film. It would make me very happy to get his approval.” The producer of the Malayalam original recently announced that there might be a Drishyam 4 in the works.
Adding to this conversation, Tabu, who will be seen reprising her role as IG Meera Deshmukh in the third film, recalls the anxiety she felt during the release of Drishyam 2 in 2022.
"One memory that comes to mind is when the second part was about to release, right after the pandemic. The Malayalam version had also come out at the time. Some of my friends told me 'who will watch your movie now that this has released?' I was really worried because what if no one watched it? That was also the time the future of cinema was being discussed everywhere. But now you know how successful the second part became. So now when people ask me whether they should watch the Malayalam version, I say 'go watch it' because our film is completely different."
The crowd's excitement over Ahlawat joining the film was palpable. When asked how it felt to be part of the well-documented world, he said, "When it comes to Drishyam, of course I've been a fan. I really wanted to enter that chaos. The script was so beautifully written that you never felt like you weren't part of that world. I'm very happy and lucky to be part of it."
The actor, who made his debut with the 2010 film Aakrosh, which starred Devgn in the lead, also spoke about how nostalgic it felt to work with Devgn again on this film.
Asked whether it was daunting for him to step into the role previously filled by Akshaye Khanna, who played IG Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2, Ahlawat shared that he never saw it as a challenge.
"When I heard the story, it did not feel like I was coming in place of Akshaye sir. A new character is being introduced. There is no point in taking that pressure. As far as comparison is concerned, I don't think you think about that as an actor," he said.
Presented by Star Studio18 and produced by Pathak, Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare and Kumar Mangat Pathak, Drishyam: The Conclusion will be released in theatres on October 2.