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Drishyam 3 concludes Georgekutty’s story in a tense way with some complex twists, but the slow pace dilutes the emotional punch.
Introduction
Drishyam is one of the rare Indian film franchises that have stayed culturally relevant. What began as a well-made thriller about an ordinary man trying to protect his family morphed into a deeper conversation about morality, manipulation and justice. Mohanlal returns as Georgekutty yet again, and the third part tries to put an end to the story of one of Malayalam cinema’s most celebrated anti-heroes.
But Drishyam 3 does have ambition, and also the burden of trying to outdo its own legacy.
The film constantly makes the viewers question what is real, what is made up and whether Georgekutty deserves the loyalty the audience has shown him for years. Sometimes it works perfectly. At other times the film appears trapped in its own maze of convolutions.
Georgekutty Is No Longer A Survivor
One of the most interesting changes in Drishyam 3 is the way they have portrayed Georgekutty this time. His earlier films had shown him as a desperate father placed in impossible situations. Here the character is more calculating than ever before.
Now Georgekutty has entered the film industry with a movie based on the infamous murder case that changed his family’s life forever. The semi-fictional retelling makes him a sort of public figure, playing with the border between confession and performance. It’s a clever move because that’s how Georgekutty has always manipulated narratives to safeguard himself.
The film quietly raises a dangerous question: has Georgekutty become addicted to manipulation?
That darker layer gives some of the strongest moments in the story. The script doesn’t just show him as a protective father, it hints at a man who has learned how to weaponize sympathy, intelligence and public perception.
The Franchise at Last Questions Its Hero
For years, the audience cheered for Georgekutty, as the films presented him as the underdog fighting against a corrupt system. Drishyam 3 goes a more uncomfortable route.
It is a reminder that Georgekutty did hide a crime and lied to the police multiple times, no matter the intention. The film doesn exactly condemn him, but it doesn anymore treat his actions as harmless genius.
And that moral tension is the backbone of the second half of the movie.
Some scenes deliberately leave Georgekutty’s intentions vague, making him unpredictable even to his own family. It’s in this psychological edge that the film feels most alive.
A slow burn that tests patience
Drishyam 3 suffers from pacing issues, but the themes are interesting.
The movie runs nearly two hours and forty minutes and takes its time establishing emotional threads that sometimes go nowhere. The first half is largely concerned with Georgekutty’s increasing public image, the success of his film project and family issues concerning Anju’s marriage prospects.
These moments are obviously meant to illustrate the family’s attempts to move on, but the story often meanders with no urgency.
At times the comedy also seems a little forced. There are a few comedic exchanges that alleviate the tension more than add to it, and some of the modern relationship commentary attempts never quite hit home.
The film eventually gets its footing once the mystery elements are back in the foreground, but viewers may need patience to get there.
The Second Half Revives the Franchise’s Trademark Mind Games
Drishyam 3 becomes much more interesting when the story starts revealing hidden agendas and buried truths.
The screenplay relies on fragmented storytelling, going back to old events and revealing new details piece by piece. But there are sequences that do evoke the paranoia and suspense that made the original movie so unforgettable.
There are moments when the audience is as confused as Georgekutty himself, especially in the night-time investigation scenes. The cinematography of the dark forest is sometimes visually frustrating, but it does add to the atmosphere of uncertainty.
The back and forth between timelines and perspectives maintains the tension, even if the movie sometimes over-explains its twists.
Not all of the reveals carry the same weight, but the film definitely knows how to make you suspect everyone involved.
The Women Deserved Better Stuff
This is a recurring weakness in the trilogy that is here: the underuse of Georgekutty’s daughters.
Anju and Anu again seem more like emotional triggers for the plot than fleshed out characters. In particular, Anju is left stuck in trauma and vulnerability without any meaningful agency of her own.
The women of this franchise have always carried a heavy emotional burden, yet Drishyam 3 fails to delve deeply into their perspectives.
That shortcoming is even more glaring in a movie that is so desperately trying to explore consequences and morality.
Does the End Truly Satisfy?
The biggest problem with Drishyam 3 was always going to be the ending.
The first film had a near-perfect ending as it was, and the sequel opened up the story in surprisingly effective ways. This third chapter often feels like it’s only here because the franchise couldn’t resist returning to its most successful recipe.
Still, the finale is cathartic — if not necessarily in a good way.
The film leaves the audience wondering whether Georgekutty escapes his past or is swallowed by it. That ambiguity is sure to split the audience. Some will love the layered ending, and others may feel the franchise overstretched itself unnecessarily.
Either way, the film succeeds in keeping the conversation going long after the credits roll.
[Final Verdict]
Drishyam 3 is an intelligent but inconsistent send-off to one of Indian cinema’s most intriguing thriller sagas. There is enough suspense and psychological tension and narrative tricks to satisfy long-time fans, especially in its stronger second half.
But the bloated runtime, uneven humor and repetitive storytelling keep it from reaching the brilliance of the original.
Even so, Mohanlal demands attention once again with a controlled and quietly unsettling performance that reminds viewers why Georgekutty became such an iconic character in the first place.
Rating: 3 out of 5