On Mohanlal’s birthday, Georgekutty and family return once again. Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam 3 is gearing up for release. Both Drishyam, released in 2013, and Drishyam 2, which premiered on OTT in 2021, drew massive audience attention. The curiosity over what happens next to Georgekutty and his family is bringing audiences closer to the third instalment. Advance bookings are surging in Kerala and abroad. The first show in Kerala will begin at 8 am. Along with Mohanlal, Meena, Esther Anil, Ansiba Hassan, Siddique, Asha Sarath, Murali Gopy and KB Ganesh Kumar play major roles. The film is produced by Aashirvad Cinemas, Panorama Studios and Pen Studios under the leadership of Antony Perumbavoor.

Where did the idea for a third Drishyam begin? What expectations does the film carry?

Even while finishing the second part, I had thoughts about a continuation. Lalettan watched Drishyam 2 in my home theatre before OTT release. Perhaps because of the way the second part ended, he asked whether there was scope for a third part. I didn’t know then if a third instalment would happen, but I shared some thoughts with him about how I would want the story to end if there was another continuation. I told him what kind of climax Georgekutty’s next arrival should have. Lalettan liked it and said, “Write it and if it works, we’ll move ahead.” That conversation became the starting point. Later, many discussions followed, and eventually it evolved into the third part.

In the first and second films, there were moments that surprised audiences because they had no preconceived notions about Georgekutty — a man educated only up to fourth standard — or how he would react. That unpredictability shocked viewers. But now, audiences know who Georgekutty is and how he functions. The third part explores what happens next to the family we have already seen. I believe Drishyam 3 will be a good film.

Is creating a continuation more difficult than writing a new story?

For me, creating a continuation for Drishyam was easier than writing a completely new story. Audiences are already familiar with the characters and their emotional world. They know what Georgekutty and his family have gone through, so moving forward from there is comparatively easier. With a new story, you must first establish the characters and surroundings. I made all three Drishyam films without excessive pressure.

Many people sent me emails suggesting possible continuations, but I deleted them without reading. Once I had a rough structure in mind, I started writing. My style has always been to complete the screenplay before beginning the shoot — from my first film Detective to Drishyam 3.

What would you like to tell audiences buying tickets for Drishyam 3?

Drishyam 3 is an emotional drama, with slightly greater emphasis on emotions this time. In the second part, the police finally reached the huge secret Georgekutty had hidden in the first film. Though they found the concealed body, they still could not connect Georgekutty to the crime or prove the case. His moves were always ahead of the police calculations. Georgekutty’s preparations, made with the belief that the police would someday reach the truth, proved successful.

The audience already knows the emotional state of both families. By the end of the second part, Georgekutty gives Geetha Prabhakar’s family what they wanted. The police also know how he escaped the court case. So the third part begins with the question: has everything really ended?

Though audiences know many of Georgekutty’s actions, his family still lacks clarity on several things. The children have grown up and started asking questions. Age may also be affecting Georgekutty’s confidence. Though he tells his family that everything is over and they should live peacefully, fear continues to haunt him. He strongly feels that nothing is truly over and that anything can resurface at any time. He worries whether someone other than the police might continue investigating. Drishyam 3 invites audiences into the life of a Georgekutty who lives under the shadow of fear and through those emotions.

Was secrecy maintained during story discussions and climax filming?

This film does not have a climax based on hiding a major revelation like exposing the real criminal. Everyone needed for the climax shoot was present on set. Actors and chief technicians were all given the screenplay to read. Naturally, the team too would be curious about the story. During filming, people understand bits and pieces, but since scenes are shot across multiple days, they may not get the complete picture. Cinema is always a collective effort, and nothing which causes harm to the project leaks from the team.

Even those who shot the famous scene in the first Drishyam — where Georgekutty walks out of the police station carrying a shovel — did not know it was actually part of the climax twist.

Drishyam was Malayalam cinema’s first ₹50-crore hit. How is the business and multilingual release shaping up for the third part?

The Hindi version of Drishyam 3 will release on October 2. They are making small changes to adapt the story. When presenting the story outside Kerala, it has to be tailored to the audience’s lifestyle, background and preferences there. In Tamil, Kannada and Telugu, the film will release as dubbed versions.

Producer Antony Perumbavoor is the right person to speak authoritatively about the business side. But I know that Drishyam 3 has secured the biggest business deal ever achieved by a Malayalam film even during production itself. The film was sold for an unprecedented amount while shooting was underway.

Box-office success and collections are not my focus. I’m not someone who claims a film will become a superhit. My effort was only to take the characters forward through natural growth while staying true to them. Beyond that, I make no claims.