Mohanlal has added another milestone to an already extraordinary year at the box office. The actor announced on social media on Thursday that Drishyam 3 has crossed the Rs 200-crore mark worldwide within just seven days of its theatrical release, making it the first film in the franchise to achieve the feat.
Sharing the update, the superstar wrote, “Three films. Three chapters. One unbroken bond. Thank you for walking with Georgekutty and family.”
The achievement further strengthens Mohanlal’s dominance at the box office in 2026. Earlier this year, both L2: Empuraan and Thudarum joined the Rs 200-crore club, making Drishyam 3 his third film to reach the landmark in a relatively short span.
The success also underlines how far Malayalam cinema has come over the last decade. When Pulimurugan released in 2016, it was celebrated as the industry’s first Rs 100-crore grosser. With Drishyam 3 crossing Rs 200 crore in a week, the commercial landscape of Malayalam cinema has transformed significantly. In fact, trade reports following the film’s Rs 100-crore milestone suggested that Pulimurugan had dropped out of the list of the ten highest-grossing Malayalam films worldwide.
Positive word-of-mouth keeps the film going strong
The road to success was not entirely smooth for Drishyam 3. Ahead of its release, some viewers questioned whether the franchise needed a third instalment after the conclusion of Drishyam 2. However, the film appears to have won over audiences through strong word-of-mouth and sustained interest in Georgekutty’s story.
Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film opened to largely favourable reviews from both critics and audiences. Rather than relying solely on nostalgia, the third chapter attempts to explore the emotional consequences of the events that have defined the family over the years.
Filmfare’s review noted, “What makes Drishyam 3 worth watching is not merely the mystery surrounding Georgekutty’s fate. It is the film’s understanding that survival has consequences. The earlier films explored how far a man would go to protect his family. This chapter asks what remains of a man after years spent defending the same lie.
Even with its uneven pacing and occasional narrative excesses, Drishyam 3 succeeds because it treats its characters seriously and resists reducing them into franchise caricatures. It may not reinvent the genre in the way the first film did, but it expands its emotional terrain in interesting ways.”
The film’s box-office performance reflects that positive reception. According to trade tracker Sacnilk, collections dipped from Rs 13.85 crore on Sunday to Rs 7.70 crore on Monday, which is a normal trend after a strong opening weekend. More importantly, the film has continued to post healthy daily numbers, remaining above the Rs 7-crore mark during the weekdays.
Its performance will now be closely watched following the release of Kattalan, one of the most anticipated Malayalam films of the year. While new competition has arrived in theatres, Drishyam 3 continues to benefit from franchise loyalty, positive audience feedback and the enduring popularity of Mohanlal’s iconic character.
The film resumes the story after the events of Drishyam 2, which premiered directly on OTT in 2021 before eventually receiving a theatrical release years later. Alongside Mohanlal, the cast includes Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Murali Gopy, Siddique and Asha Sharath.
With Rs 200 crore already in the bag and audience interest showing little sign of fading, Drishyam 3 has once again proven that Georgekutty remains one of Indian cinema’s most enduring creations.
Also Read: A Candid Mohanlal Moment From Drishyam 3 Sets Has Fans Celebrating The Man Behind The Legend
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