Director Jeethu Joseph has confirmed that there were initial efforts to begin the Hindi version of Drishyam 3 before the Malayalam original went on floors. Speaking to Mathrubhumi, the filmmaker said, “There were attempts to begin the Hindi version before Malayalam, but when they were warned of possible legal complications, they had to step back.” He added that the Hindi version's makers are indeed in touch, waiting for the final script. “There was a demand to begin shooting in Malayalam and Hindi simultaneously, but no decision has been made on that. The script is still being written, and we hope to start filming by mid-September.” Recently, Jeethu also announced that he completed writing the climax of the upcoming third instalment.
These remarks follow Jeethu’s earlier statement to The Times of India in June, where he revealed that discussions were underway to plan a simultaneous release of Drishyam 3 in Malayalam, Hindi and Telugu. At the time, he clarified that all three versions would follow his script, adapted to suit each culture, and denied reports that the Hindi version would feature a different storyline. While parallel shooting is yet to be confirmed due to the availability of the lead actors, Jeethu noted that the production teams were keen on a simultaneous release, particularly in the current OTT-driven ecosystem, to preserve the film’s freshness across languages.
The Malayalam original will once again feature Mohanlal as Georgekutty, with Ajay Devgn and Venkatesh reprising their roles in the Hindi and Telugu versions respectively. The Malayalam franchise, which began in 2013 and returned with a sequel in 2021, is set to conclude with this third instalment.
Meanwhile, Panorama Studios, the producers behind the Hindi remakes, had mentioned Drishyam 3 in their filings to the Bombay Stock Exchange this year, confirming that the project is in active development. Abhishek Pathak, who helmed the Hindi remake of Drishyam 2 in 2022, will return as director.
Although some reports suggested that Abhishek and his co-writers had pitched an idea for Drishyam 3 to Jeethu, the filmmaker has since dismissed those claims, stating that he has not accepted any external story concepts and that the final script is entirely his own.