Mohanlal has once again proved why the Drishyam franchise still holds a crazy grip over audiences even after all these years. Drishyam 3, directed by Jeethu Joseph, has now crossed the massive Rs 200 crore mark at the worldwide box office within just one week of release. The film opened to mixed reactions from critics, with many viewers divided over the story and pacing, but none of that really slowed the film down at ticket windows. Audiences still showed up in huge numbers to follow Georgekutty’s latest dangerous game, and that emotional connection with the franchise clearly worked in the film’s favor again.
The third installment arrived as a special birthday release for Mohanlal fans after facing delays from its earlier April release plan. Once it finally hit theatres, the response turned massive almost immediately, especially in Kerala and overseas markets where the Drishyam brand already has a loyal following. According to the makers, the film managed to touch Rs 200 crore globally in just seven days, making it one of the fastest Malayalam films to achieve the milestone.
Mohanlal’s Georgekutty Still Pulling Audiences To Theatres
The makers celebrated the box office achievement on social media with a message highlighting the long journey of the franchise. Mohanlal wrote, “Three films. Three chapters. One unbroken bond. Thank you for walking with Georgekutty & Family.” The emotional nostalgia around the character has become one of the biggest strengths of the franchise. Even viewers who felt the third film wasn’t as sharp as the earlier installments still turned up because of their attachment to Georgekutty and his family story.
Reports suggest Drishyam 3 opened globally with around Rs 43 to Rs 45 crore on Day 1 itself, making it one of the biggest Malayalam openings ever. Overseas collections played a major role in boosting the numbers quickly, especially in Gulf regions where Mohanlal enjoys massive popularity. The film’s strong opening weekend reportedly pushed it past major milestones faster than industry trackers initially expected.
Interestingly, the film has also generated buzz around actor salaries. According to reports, Drishyam 3 was made on a budget of around Rs 100 crore. Mohanlal is said to have charged nearly Rs 20 crore for the film, which is much higher compared to the earlier installments. Back when the first Drishyam released in 2013, reports claimed he earned around Rs 5 to 6 crore. That reportedly increased to around Rs 10 to 12 crore for Drishyam 2, and now the number has almost doubled again for the third chapter.
The Franchise Continues Expanding Beyond Malayalam Cinema
Other cast members reportedly also saw significant jumps in their remuneration over the years. Meena, who plays Rani Georgekutty, is said to have charged around Rs 75 lakh this time after earning much smaller amounts during the earlier films. Ansiba Hassan reportedly earned Rs 1 crore for returning as Anju, while Esther Anil, who plays Anu, is also believed to have received a higher paycheck compared to the previous installments.
The Drishyam franchise remains one of Indian cinema’s most successful thriller properties because of how deeply audiences connected with its middle-class family setup mixed with crime and suspense. The original film released in 2013 and quickly became a phenomenon. Its success later inspired remakes in several languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and even international adaptations. The Hindi version starring Ajay Devgn and Tabu also became hugely successful at the box office.
Now the Hindi remake of Drishyam 3 is already gearing up for release later this year on October 2. Fans are curious to see how the Hindi adaptation handles the story after the Malayalam version’s strong theatrical run. For now though, Mohanlal’s Georgekutty has once again shown that even after three films, audiences still aren’t ready to leave this world behind.
