As anticipation builds for the worldwide release of Drishyam 3 on May 21, a quiet but intriguing development has set Kannada cinema circles buzzing. While the makers of the blockbuster Malayalam thriller have aggressively rolled out dubbed versions in Tamil and Telugu, there has been no announcement whatsoever about a Kannada release. And that silence is now fueling speculation that the franchise may instead be headed for a full-fledged Kannada remake.

The original franchise, fronted by Mohanlal as the sharp-witted Georgekutty, became one of Indian cinema’s most successful thriller properties, spawning hit remakes across languages. In Kannada, the films were adapted as Drishya and Drishya 2, with Ravichandran taking on the role of Rajendra Ponnappa, a performance that earned both box office success and strong audience recall.

Now, with no Kannada dubbed version in sight, insiders believe the makers may be strategically preserving the remake market in Karnataka. The theory gains more weight considering that even Telugu audiences, despite the popularity of Venkatesh’s remake series, are receiving a direct dubbed release this time rather than a new adaptation. Kannada remains the only major southern territory where the release plan is still under wraps.

The suspense doesn’t end there. Bollywood’s version of Drishyam 3, starring Ajay Devgn, is also expected to take a different creative route. Director Abhishek Pathak has confirmed that the Hindi adaptation will feature notable screenplay changes tailored for North Indian audiences, despite continuing from the events of Drishyam 2.

For now, however, the biggest mystery remains in Karnataka: Will audiences get a dubbed Drishyam 3, or is Ravichandran preparing for one last return as Rajendra Ponnappa?