‘I called up Lal sir: Why Ajay Devgn wanted Mohanlal to watch Drishyam 3

Ajay Devgn has revealed that he personally reached out to Mohanlal and asked the Malayalam superstar to watch ‘Drishyam: The Conclusion’ ahead of its release. The actor said he wanted the star of the original Malayalam ‘Drishyam’ to see the Hindi franchise’s third instalment and offer his “approval”.

Speaking at FICCI Frames on Day 2, Ajay Devgn and producer Alok Jain discussed ‘Drishyam: The Conclusion’, the upcoming third film in the Hindi franchise. During the conversation, Ajay opened up about the new film’s script, why he believes it should conclude the franchise and how audience expectations have evolved.

When it was mentioned that Mohanlal had called him, Ajay clarified that he was the one who made the call. Explaining why he wanted Mohanlal to watch the film, he said, “In fact, I called up Lal (Mohanlal) sir, not him, because I wanted him to see the film. Like he (Alok Jain) said that they do such a great job, and this time we have diverted completely. So, for me, I thought that a kind of an approval from him would be nice. I wanted him to see the film but he is on a holiday. It is very sweet that he kept interacting. I think he is going to watch the film soon there.”

Ajay Devgn on why Drishyam 3 should be the conclusion

Ajay also explained why he feels the third film should bring the Hindi ‘Drishyam’ story to an end. According to the actor, creating another instalment without compromising the franchise’s core would be increasingly difficult. He said the latest film has reached a point where it would be better to conclude the story on a high.

“It is the conclusion also because I feel that it is very difficult to write a Drishyam. We want to end it on a high, and the way the script has shaped up, the film has shaped up, I think we should put a stop right now. I saw the film yesterday, and my personal opinion is that it beats 2 (Drishyam 2).”

Ajay further elaborated on the challenges involved in taking the story forward. He pointed out that the writers cannot simply introduce another murder mystery or place the characters in an unrelated situation. Instead, the story needs to organically emerge from the existing narrative.

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“It’s not very easy to write. Like I said, your writers and directors are limited. You have to take the story forward from where it ended. You cannot get into a new murder mystery, now they get stuck in new situations, it’s never like this. When you get an idea, the concept is not, ‘Okay, let’s make a sequel of Drishyam.’ It’s like when you get an idea, and you start thinking, ‘Okay, this can become very interesting, it can be Drishyam’ and that’s when you start working. And, that’s when the director and the writer started working, and they must have rejected four first scripts after working on it. Finally, when we came to a script which really worked with the twists, and the turns, which are required in a Drishyam – the shock value that Vijay Salgaonkar will do what is unexpected and they will also do what is unexpected.”

‘Drishyam 3’ has a completely new script

Ajay also stressed that the upcoming film is not simply an adaptation of another existing Malayalam instalment. He revealed that the Hindi version has taken a different route this time, with the third film built around a completely new script.

“The Hindi Drishyam, in 2, we diverted it a little. The original (Malayalam film) did not have Akshaye Khanna’s character but 3 is a completely new script. These are two different films, and the way Abhishek and the writers have worked so hard on the script for the past nearly 2 years that it really gives you a high. The way it has shaped up, the scripting, it has come out fabulous, and that’s when we decided, ‘Okay, this should be the conclusion.’”

Ajay Devgn on playing Vijay Salgaonkar again

The actor also spoke about returning to the role of Vijay Salgaonkar years after first stepping into the character. While the character’s personality cannot change drastically because the story picks up from where the previous film ended, Ajay said his own experience and age have naturally influenced the way he approaches the role.

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“It’s been so many years but where the script is concerned, it starts from where it ended the last time. So, you can’t divert too much into the character. But, yes, over the years, when you play the same character again and again, there is a certain kind of confidence. For the audience, the character cannot change too much but playing it becomes a little more different because years of experiences count and with age, there is a certain kind of calmness, and a certain kind of confidence.”

Ajay also described today’s audience as more evolved, making unpredictability particularly important for a franchise like ‘Drishyam’. He said the story cannot work if viewers are able to anticipate what will happen next.

“If the audience knows what is going to happen next, then a Drishyam cannot work. So, when you get that right, then you decide that, ‘Okay, now, this is the highest point that we have reached. I don’t think we should go beyond that.’ It’s always better to leave it on a higher note. I don’t want the audience to feel, ‘Okay, now they are making one more…’ Maybe, we are not able to match up to their expectations. At the moment, we feel that the kind of scripting they have done, the film has shaped up, we’ve reached a point, I don’t think we can go beyond this.”

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‘Drishyam: The Conclusion’ also stars Shriya Saran, Tabu, Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishita Dutta and Saurabh Shukla, among others. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2, 2026.