Ajay Devgn's Hindi trilogy finale outshines Mohanlal's Malayalam version, delivering a gripping original thriller with standout performances.
Drishyam 3 isn’t just a conclusion — it’s a statement. The Hindi franchise ends not with a whimper but with a courtroom thunderclap, as Abhishek Pathak’s original script reclaims the narrative from its Malayalam predecessor. This isn’t a remake. It’s a reimagining, and it lands with force.
The film picks up six months after Drishyam 2, with Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) and Mahesh Deshmukh (Rajat Kapoor) determined to reopen Sam’s murder case. Armed with new evidence and backed by Crime Branch SP Rajveer Singh Tomar (Jaideep Ahlawat), they drag Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) into one final reckoning. The stakes? Not just justice, but survival.
And yet, this isn’t about who wins. It’s about how the game changes when the rules are rewritten. The screenplay. By Aamil Keeyan Khan, Abhishek Pathak, and Parveez Shaikh, is razor-sharp, building tension like clockwork. Dialogue hits hard. The pacing stumbles only in the first 15 minutes, but once the gears engage, there’s no letting go.
Ajay Devgn delivers his most layered performance yet. He’s not just the clever father. He’s the man undone by consequence. Tabu holds her ground, while Shriya Saran shines in a role that carries the film’s biggest twist. But the real surprise comes from newcomers: Jaideep Ahlawat as Tomar is chillingly effective, a relentless adversary who outmaneuvers even Vijay’s instincts. Prakash Raj, appearing late, steals every scene he’s in, especially during the courtroom showdown.
Gaitonde (Kamlesh Sawant) brings levity, but his arc feels underdeveloped. That’s the only misstep in an otherwise tight package. The film doesn’t need closure for every side character. This is Vijay’s endgame, not a family reunion.
DNA India calls it the best thriller of 2026 and the highest-grossing film in the series. Whether that claim holds depends on opening numbers, but early reactions suggest a massive run. The franchise began in 2015, crossed borders, and now bows out with a Hindi original that dares to stand alone.
So what happens next? The saga ends. But the conversation? That’s just beginning.
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