Starring Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Sidique, Murali Gopi, Asha Sarath Written & Directed by Jeethu...
Starring Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther
Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Sidique, Murali Gopi, Asha Sarath
Written & Directed by Jeethu Joseph
Music by Anil Johnson
With Drishyam 3, Jeethu Joseph returns to the world
he so meticulously crafted, once again placing George Kutty and his family
under the lingering shadow of a crime that refuses to stay buried. The film
follows the familiar emotional terrain of the earlier instalments, where peace
is not quite peace, and survival demands constant vigilance.
Set against the backdrop of George arranging his
elder daughter Anju’s marriage, the story begins on a slow, deliberate note.
The unease that has haunted the family since Varun’s murder quietly simmers
beneath the surface. Joseph takes his time building this tension, allowing the
audience to settle back into the psychological space that defined the first two
films. The first half, though unhurried, effectively reinforces the fragility
of the family’s hard-earned normalcy.
However, once the interval hits, the narrative
shifts gears dramatically. What initially promises to be a gripping escalation
soon gives way to a series of overly convenient plot turns. The screenplay,
which was once the franchise’s strongest pillar, feels noticeably strained
here. Coincidences pile up, and the clever, almost surgical precision that
defined George Kutty’s earlier strategies is replaced by writing that feels
forced and, at times, lazy. The climax, though ambitious, ultimately flatters
to deceive, lacking the punch and ingenuity fans have come to expect.
In terms of writing, Drishyam 3 is undeniably the
weakest link in the trilogy. Where the earlier films made audiences marvel at
George Kutty’s brilliance, this instalment shifts the emotional lens. We are no
longer in awe of him—we feel for him. The weight of his actions, the toll of
living under constant fear, and the cracks in his seemingly infallible armour
are brought to the forefront. This change in perspective is interesting, but it
comes at the cost of the franchise’s trademark thrill.
What holds the film together, despite its
shortcomings, is Mohanlal. His performance once again brings depth and gravitas
to George Kutty, smoothing over many of the narrative rough edges. He embodies
the character’s quiet desperation and resilience so convincingly that even when
the script falters, the emotional core remains intact.
Drishyam 3 may not reach the dizzying heights of
its predecessors, but it still offers a compelling, if flawed, continuation of
George Kutty’s story. This time, it’s less about admiring a mastermind and more
about understanding a man running out of options—and perhaps, out of luck.
By Pratik Majumdar (author: Love Coffee Murder and
1975 The Year That Transformed Bollywood)
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