The original Georgekutty has approved the Hindi goodbye. Mohanlal, who first played the character in the Malayalam Drishyam films, watched Drishyam The Conclusion and said the Ajay Devgn-led team gave the story a satisfying close. The praise arrives as the film crosses ₹480 crore in worldwide gross.
In a video message, Mohanlal said he was “truly impressed” with the way the franchise brought its journey to a “befitting end.” He congratulated director Abhishek Pathak, producer Kumar Mangat Pathak, Ajay Devgn and the cast and crew.
Why the original star’s word matters
Georgekutty is one of Indian cinema’s most memorable characters, and the Malayalam films built a loyal following around his quiet, calculating survival instincts. The Hindi franchise developed its own following with Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar, but a public nod from Mohanlal is a full-circle moment for fans who have followed both versions.
It matters even more because the Hindi third chapter does not simply follow the Malayalam third film. The Hindi team chose a new ending instead of remaking the original conclusion.
Box office: a strong finish
Drishyam The Conclusion has raced past ₹480 crore in worldwide gross, with India collections crossing ₹370 crore, according to Hindustan Times. The film continues to ride on the Vijay Salgaonkar-versus-the-police face-off that has powered the franchise.
- Worldwide gross: more than ₹480 crore.
- India gross: more than ₹370 crore.
- New threat: Jaideep Ahlawat as SP Rajveer Singh Tomar.
The ensemble also brings back Tabu as Meera Deshmukh and Shriya Saran as Nandini, with Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Kamlesh Sawant, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav. Social media has singled out Ahlawat’s face-offs with Devgn, calling him a strong addition.
An original script, not a remake
The first two Hindi films stayed close to Jeethu Joseph’s Malayalam storyline. For this third chapter, director Abhishek Pathak and co-writers Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh wrote a fresh Hindi script. At FICCI Frames, Ajay Devgn called it “a completely new script” and said the two third films are “very different films.”
Some viewers have gone further, saying the Hindi conclusion works better for them than the Malayalam version released earlier this year. That is a bold claim for a film that began as an adaptation, and it explains why the original star’s praise is landing so strongly.
What this means for the franchise
Franchise conclusions are hard to land. Most third films struggle with expectation, especially after a remake legacy. By building an original script and getting an endorsement from Mohanlal, the makers have given the film two things money cannot guarantee: creative separation and legacy approval. The worldwide total then becomes the third proof point.
Presented by Star Studio18 and produced by Panorama Studios, Drishyam The Conclusion is now positioned as the franchise’s final word. For Hindi cinema fans, the message is clear: the series is bowing out on its own creative terms, with a big number behind it.
Source: Hindustan Times