Drishyam: The Conclusion, the third and final installment of the Hindi Drishyam franchise, brings back Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar alongside a expanded ensemble cast. The film, directed by Abhishek Pathak, released in theaters on October 2, 2026.
Ajay Devgn leads the cast, reprising his role as Vijay Salgaonkar. Tabu returns as IG Meera Deshmukh. Shriya Saran plays Nandini Salgaonkar again. Rajat Kapoor is back as Mahesh Deshmukh. Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav reprise their roles as Anju and Anu Salgaonkar. Kamlesh Sawant returns as Laxmikant Gaitonde.
Jaideep Ahlawat joins the franchise as SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar. Prakash Raj enters the series as lawyer Indrajith Shetty. Saurabh Shukla also appears in a cameo, reprising his role from Drishyam 2.
New Additions And Cast Changes
Jaideep Ahlawat was brought in after Akshaye Khanna exited the project. Khanna, who played IG Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2, left the film in December 2025, seven days before shooting was scheduled to begin. Reports cited creative and monetary differences, including a dispute over wearing a wig.
Director Abhishek Pathak spoke about the sudden exit. ‘I won’t say panic, but we were not happy with the whole idea. I thought, Ye kya tareeka hua (What is this)?’ Pathak said. ‘The tough part was the call to continue, to just tell the team: Hold on, don’t cancel anything. We will do it.’
Jaideep Ahlawat addressed comparisons with Akshaye Khanna at the trailer launch. ‘Jab maine kahani suni thi toh woh aise nahi tha ki Akshaye sir ki jagah aa raha hai. Uss kirdaar ki journey khatam hoti hai aur ek dusra kirdaar introduce kiya hai,’ he said. ‘Yeh kirdaar kisi aur ki wajah se yahan hai, aisa bilkul nahi hai.’
Writer Aamil Keeyan Khan explained the difference between the two characters. ‘They are completely different characters. One was an IG, very polished; the other is an SP from the crime branch, and his methods are very different. His thinking process is very hatke and eccentric,’ Khan told Zoom.
Cast Fees And Production
Ajay Devgn reportedly earned between Rs 18 crore and Rs 22 crore for the film. Tabu was paid around Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3.5 crore. Shriya Saran received approximately Rs 1 crore. Ishita Dutta was paid between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 80 lakh. Rajat Kapoor’s fee was reported between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 70 lakh. Details of Jaideep Ahlawat’s remuneration were not disclosed.
The film is presented by Star Studio18 and produced by Panorama Studios. Abhishek Pathak directed and co-wrote the script with Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh. Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare, Kumar Mangat Pathak, and Abhishek Pathak served as producers.
Malayalam Version Cast
The original Malayalam Drishyam 3, directed by Jeethu Joseph, released on May 21, 2026, coinciding with Mohanlal’s 66th birthday. Mohanlal returned as Georgekutty. Meena, Ansiba Hassan, and Esther Anil reprised their roles as Rani, Anju, and Anu. Asha Sharath returned as IG Geetha Prabhakar. Siddique played Prabhakar. Murali Gopy appeared as Vinayachandran. Veena Nandakumar joined the cast in a new role. The Malayalam version grossed over Rs 242 crore at the box office.
The Hindi Drishyam: The Conclusion is not a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3. Ajay Devgn confirmed the two films have completely different scripts. ‘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,’ Devgn said at FICCI Frames.
Box Office Opening
Drishyam: The Conclusion opened strongly at the Indian box office. The film earned Rs 62 crore on its first day, according to early estimates. It became the fourth biggest opener in India, behind Dhurandhar 2, Pushpa 2 Hindi, and Jawan.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the figures on X. ‘HISTORIC – DRISHYAM 3 IS FOURTH BIGGEST OPENER EVER,’ Adarsh posted. The film recorded over Rs 50 crore on Day 1 in India.
Tabu shared a message for the franchise newcomers on Instagram. ‘Thank you for being part of this world!’ she wrote, tagging Jaideep Ahlawat and Prakash Raj.
Drishyam: The Conclusion continues the story of Vijay Salgaonkar and his family as a fresh investigation puts them under pressure once again. The film is the final chapter of the Hindi franchise.