Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam: The Conclusion on October 2, with Tabu and Shriya Saran reprising their roles and Jaideep Ahlawat joining the final chapter.
Drishyam 3, officially titled Drishyam: The Conclusion, is being presented as the third and final chapter of the Hindi Drishyam franchise. The biggest point for fans to know before watching it is that the Hindi film is not a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3.
Director Abhishek Pathak has said that the Hindi film follows a different story. So, even viewers who have watched Mohanlal’s latest Drishyam film cannot assume that they already know Vijay Salgaonkar’s ending.
How did Vijay Salgaonkar’s story begin?
The Hindi Drishyam story began with Vijay Salgaonkar, an ordinary family man played by Ajay Devgn. A cable operator and film enthusiast in Goa, Vijay lives with his wife Nandini and daughters Anju and Anu.
His life changes after Anju becomes involved in Sam’s death during an encounter that turns fatal. Sam is the son of police officer Meera Deshmukh, played by Tabu.
Realising that his family could face serious consequences, Vijay creates an elaborate plan to protect them. The centrepiece is his famous October 2 alibi, in which he makes his family remember a carefully prepared sequence involving a trip to Panaji, food, a film and a hotel stay.
He also collects bills and other details to make their version of events appear consistent.
The first film’s suspense came from an unusual situation: viewers knew what had happened, while the police were trying to reconstruct the truth from incomplete evidence. Vijay’s biggest advantage was not physical strength but his ability to plan several steps ahead.
What happened in Drishyam 2?
Drishyam 2, released on November 18, 2022, brought Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Shriya Saran back as the central characters.
The sequel shifted the focus from creating an alibi to testing whether Vijay’s carefully constructed story could survive a deeper investigation.
Akshaye Khanna played Tarun Ahlawat, an investigator who approached the old case differently and tried to find weaknesses in Vijay’s version of events. The Salgaonkar family had lived for years believing that the immediate danger had passed, but the old case remained a source of tension.
That changed the nature of the franchise’s suspense. The question was no longer simply whether Vijay could fool the police. It became whether the truth could eventually be reconstructed despite the lack of straightforward evidence.
Drishyam 2 went on to cross the ₹200-crore mark in India, further establishing the Hindi franchise as a major theatrical property.
What changes in Drishyam: The Conclusion?
The third film moves the story towards what the makers describe as its conclusion. The title was changed from Drishyam 3 to Drishyam: The Conclusion, with Abhishek Pathak explaining that the new title makes the film’s position as the final chapter clearer.
The cast includes:
| Actor | Character |
| Ajay Devgn | Vijay Salgaonkar |
| Tabu | Meera Deshmukh |
| Shriya Saran | Nandini Salgaonkar |
| Ishita Dutta | Anju Salgaonkar |
| Mrunal Jadhav | Anu Salgaonkar |
| Rajat Kapoor | Mahesh Deshmukh |
| Jaideep Ahlawat | SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar |
| Prakash Raj | New character |
Jaideep Ahlawat’s casting has attracted attention because Akshaye Khanna’s Tarun Ahlawat is not returning. The makers have said that Ahlawat is playing a newly written character rather than taking over Khanna’s earlier role.
The trailer also presents new pressure points for Vijay, with Meera Deshmukh, Ahlawat’s police character and Prakash Raj’s character all becoming part of the conflict.
Is the Hindi Drishyam 3 the same as Mohanlal’s film?
No.
The Malayalam Drishyam franchise follows Mohanlal’s Georgekutty, while the Hindi films centre on Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar. Although both franchises originate from the same story world, the Hindi third film is taking a different route.
Abhishek Pathak has specifically said that Drishyam: The Conclusion is not a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3.
That means viewers who already know the Malayalam story should not assume that its ending will reveal what happens to Vijay.
Why is Drishyam 3 facing a rights dispute?
The film has also become part of a legal dispute shortly before its scheduled release.
Chennai-based Rajkumar Theatres Pvt Ltd has approached the Madras High Court in connection with the worldwide theatrical release and distribution of the Hindi Drishyam 3. The company has alleged that releasing the film without its authorisation infringes rights it claims in relation to adaptations of the franchise.
The dispute concerns rights arrangements connected with earlier Indian adaptations. The company’s claims are part of an ongoing legal matter and should not be treated as a court finding.
For viewers, the legal issue is separate from the film’s story, but it has added another development around the October 2 release.
How much are the Drishyam 3 actors reportedly being paid?
Reported remuneration figures have also attracted attention, although the film’s makers have not officially confirmed them.
Ajay Devgn is reportedly receiving around ₹18 crore to ₹22 crore, while Tabu’s reported fee is around ₹2.5 crore to ₹3.5 crore. Shriya Saran is reportedly being paid around ₹1 crore.
Ishita Dutta’s reported remuneration is between ₹50 lakh and ₹80 lakh, while Rajat Kapoor’s is reportedly between ₹40 lakh and ₹70 lakh.
These figures should be treated as reported estimates rather than confirmed salaries.
Why does Drishyam 3 feel different?
The biggest change is that audiences already know Vijay.
They know how carefully he plans. They know the importance of October 2. They know that his family has survived one investigation and faced another. They also know that Meera Deshmukh has remained connected to the case.
That familiarity changes the suspense.
Instead of simply asking whether Vijay can create another escape route, the final film can explore what happens when the consequences of an old decision continue to follow him.
The fact that the Hindi film has a different story from the Malayalam Drishyam 3 adds another layer of uncertainty.
What should you remember before watching?
- Ajay Devgn plays Vijay Salgaonkar.
- Tabu returns as Meera Deshmukh.
- Shriya Saran returns as Nandini.
- The first film centred on Sam’s death and Vijay’s October 2 alibi.
- Drishyam 2 introduced Akshaye Khanna’s Tarun Ahlawat.
- Jaideep Ahlawat plays a new police character in the third film.
- Prakash Raj joins the cast in a new role.
- The Hindi third film is not a remake of the Malayalam Drishyam 3.
- The makers are presenting Drishyam: The Conclusion as the final chapter.
When will Drishyam 3 release?
Drishyam: The Conclusion is scheduled to release in Indian theatres on October 2, 2026.
For a franchise built around Vijay’s famous October 2 alibi, the release date carries an obvious connection to the original story. But this time, the central question is different: how will Vijay Salgaonkar’s story finally end?
Why is the hype around Drishyam 3 different from the first two films?
The first Drishyam worked largely because audiences discovered Vijay’s unusual method of protecting his family. The sequel then built on the unanswered questions from that story and brought a new investigator into the picture.
The third film has a different advantage: the audience already knows Vijay.
Viewers know how carefully he thinks. They know the importance of October 2. They know that his family has already survived an investigation. And they know that Meera Deshmukh has never completely let go of the case.
That familiarity changes the suspense.
The question is no longer simply, Can Vijay fool the police?
It is also:
What happens when the person who has successfully hidden the truth has to confront the consequences of everything he has done?
That is the central reason Drishyam: The Conclusion carries more than the usual sequel curiosity. It is being presented as the point where Vijay Salgaonkar’s long-running story finally reaches its conclusion.
Watch trailer here:
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