Drishyam: The Conclusion Ends Vijay Salgaonkar’s Story With Record Opening

Drishyam: The Conclusion, the third and final film in the Hindi Drishyam franchise, was released in theatres on October 2, 2026. The film stars Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar and is directed by Abhishek Pathak.

The film opened to a massive response at the Indian box office. According to early trade estimates, it collected over Rs 55 crore net on its first day, making it the biggest opener of Ajay Devgn’s career.

Drishyam: The Conclusion is the first film in the Hindi franchise to feature an entirely original story. The first two films were remakes of the Malayalam Drishyam films starring Mohanlal. The third Hindi film does not follow the plot of the Malayalam Drishyam 3.

The story picks up after the events of Drishyam 2. Vijay Salgaonkar and his family have rebuilt their lives, but the past continues to haunt them. Meera Deshmukh, played by Tabu, is still grieving the loss of her son Sam and seeks revenge. A new police officer, SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, played by Jaideep Ahlawat, takes charge of the case to uncover the truth.

Ajay Devgn said at FICCI Frames that the new film is a completely different script from the Malayalam version. He said, ‘The original one they did not have Akshay Khanna’s character as such but 3 is a completely new script. They are two very different films. The way Abhishek and the writers have worked so hard on the script for the past maybe two years that it really really gives you a high. The way it has shaped up the scripting and the way Abhishek has made the film, I think it has come out fabulous. That’s when we decided that it should be the conclusion.’

Devgn also revealed that he personally called Mohanlal to seek his approval for the film. He said, ‘I called up Mohanlal sir, because I wanted him to see the film. They do such a great job and this time we’ve diverted completely. So for me, I thought that, a kind of an approval from him would be nice. So I wanted him to see the film and he’s on a holiday. So he was very sweet and then we kept interacting. I think he’s going to watch the film soon there.’

The film was certified by the Central Board of Film Certification with a UA 16+ rating and a runtime of 150 minutes. The CBFC cleared the film without any cuts.

The music for Drishyam: The Conclusion was composed by Ravi Basrur, known for his work on the KGF films. The first song from the film, titled Vingansa, was released on September 17, 2026. It was composed by Ravi Basrur with lyrics by Aamil Keeyan Khan and vocals by Siddharth Basrur.

The film faced a major casting change when Akshaye Khanna, who played IG Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2, exited the project. Director Abhishek Pathak said the exit came just seven days before the shoot was scheduled to begin. Jaideep Ahlawat was brought in to play a new character, and the screenplay was rewritten.

Pathak said in an interview, ‘Maybe an independent director on the film would have stepped back and said, I can’t do it, I need some time, I might have to push the shoot. There are actors involved, there’s a set which got constructed.’ He added that the team had to continue to avoid delays and financial losses for the crew.

The film received mostly positive reviews from critics. Taran Adarsh gave the film 4.5 stars and called it the best film in the franchise. He wrote, ‘Lives up to the mammoth expectations… This is, without doubt, the BEST FILM in the Drishyam franchise and also among the BEST FILMS of 2026… SURE-SHOT BLOCKBUSTER.’

Other reviewers praised the performances of Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat. The courtroom sequences and the film’s climax were also highlighted as major strengths.

The film was released on October 2, a date that holds significance in the franchise’s story. In the first film, October 2 was the day Vijay’s alibi was set. The release coincided with the Gandhi Jayanti holiday, which boosted its box office performance.

By 5 PM on its opening day, the film had collected Rs 33.50 crore net in India. Trade analysts projected a final first-day total of around Rs 60 crore net, which would place it among the highest opening days for a Hindi film in 2026.

The film’s advance booking was also strong. It sold over 5.2 lakh tickets across approximately 5,700 shows in the morning shows alone. The film is expected to continue its strong performance through the opening weekend.