Drishyam 3 has stormed into the top five highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2026 in North America, raking in $5.04 million in just nine days of its theatrical run. The Ajay Devgn-starrer didn’t just enter the chart — it landed with force, securing the #2 spot behind Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar 2, which has already crossed $28.64 million in lifetime gross. That’s not a slow climb. That’s a statement. 

But Drishyam 3 isn’t the only sequel making waves. Mirzapur: The Movie and Hanuman Ansh have both cracked the top five, marking a clear shift in audience preference across the USA and Canada. These aren’t just hits, they’re cultural moments. The momentum isn’t random. Out of the top ten films at the North American box office this year, seven are franchise films or spin-offs. Sequels aren’t just surviving. They’re leading. 

The data shows a distinct trend: NRI audiences are gravitating toward high-stakes thrillers and immersive action over ensemble comedies. Dhamaal 4, despite its star power, pulled in $1.20 million. Far below the pace of the top-tier dramas. Welcome To The Jungle, another comedy-heavy release, collected $1.25 million, but still struggled to break into the upper tier. The message is clear: slapstick doesn’t sell like suspense. 

Ajay Devgn is now the only actor with two entries in the top ten, with both Drishyam 3 and Dhamaal 4 landing in the list. Both are sequels. That’s not coincidence. It’s a pattern. The audience isn’t just showing up, they’re returning. And they’re doing so in massive numbers. 

What does this mean for the future? Franchise-driven cinema is no longer a fallback. It’s the blueprint. Original stories may still find their footing, but right now, the box office speaks one language: continuity. The next question isn’t whether a film will succeed. It’s whether it can become a series. And if it can, the numbers will follow.