Drishyam 3 Delayed: Creative Tug-of-War Between Hindi and Malayalam Franchises

As fans eagerly awaited the announcement teaser for Drishyam 3, the reveal was unexpectedly postponed. The delay is not merely due to unfinished background music, as initially suggested, but is tied to creative agreements between the Hindi franchise makers and the original Malayalam film team.

According to reports, writer-director Jeethu Joseph and producer Antony Perumbavoor, who have overseen the Drishyam franchise since its inception with Mohanlal, have a say in when and how the Hindi adaptations release content. This has created a tug-of-war between the two versions.

On the Malayalam side, Drishyam 3 is already in production, with Mohanlal beginning shooting on September 22nd. In contrast, Ajay Devgn's Hindi adaptation, helmed by Abhishek Pathak, is not expected to go on floors until December. The sudden announcement of the Hindi version's release date for October 2, 2026 did not sit well with the Malayalam producers, prompting them to enforce the adaptation clause.

Adding to the friction is the directorial choice. The original plan was for Jeethu Joseph to direct all three versions - Malayalam, Hindi, and Telugu (with Venkatesh) - for a simultaneous global release. However, with the success of Abhishek Pathak's Drishyam 2, producer Kumar Mangat pushed for his son to direct the Hindi threequel, breaking away from the earlier plan. This decision is believed to have created creative differences, leading Antony and Jeethu to focus on ensuring the Malayalam film hits the screens before its Hindi counterpart.

As the two versions of Drishyam 3 move forward, fans await clarity on whether the long-anticipated story of Georgekutty and Vijay Salgaonkar will unfold in a carefully coordinated manner, or if audiences will experience the Malayalam conclusion before the Hindi adaptation.