Mohanlal’s much-awaited Drishyam 3, directed by Jeethu Joseph, is now in post-production. The film is set for a worldwide theatrical release on May 21st. Expectations remain high, given the strong popularity of the Drishyam franchise among audiences.
Earlier, Drishyam 3 was planned for release on April 2nd. Due to the ongoing Middle East war, the makers postponed it to May 21st. To sustain buzz, the team re-released Drishyam 2 in theatres on April 10th.
Drishyam 2 was originally released directly on Amazon Prime during the COVID-19 lockdown. With its theatrical run, it became the first direct OTT film in Indian cinema to receive a later theatre release. The move was seen as a unique strategy.
Following the announcement, many trade trackers expected the film to perform strongly. The belief was that the Drishyam franchise still enjoyed massive audience interest. Predictions suggested that the re-release could turn into a successful run.
However, the actual response turned out to be disappointing. Reports indicate that Drishyam 2 collected only around 5 lakhs in Kerala. The film failed to recover even basic distribution and theatre rental costs.
After the poor performance, reactions on social media raised concerns. Many users felt that audience interest in the franchise may have declined. Some also believe that this result could affect the opening response of Drishyam 3.
The strategy, intended to build hype, has instead raised doubts. It remains to be seen whether this setback will impact Drishyam 3. The film’s performance on May 21st will decide its box office fate.
