•Drishyam 3* crosses Rs 117.17 crore worldwide within three days of release, becoming one of the fastest Malayalam films to achieve this milestone.
•The film earned Rs 13.7 crore on Day 3, with domestic net collection reaching Rs 40.60 crore and overseas gross standing at Rs 70 crore.
•Malayalam version dominated with 66.52% occupancy, peaking at 75.42% during evening shows; Kochi recorded the highest occupancy at 88.3%.
•Kerala contributed Rs 9.25 crore on Day 3, making it the largest market, followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh-Telangana.
•Mohanlal thanked fans on social media, acknowledging their 13-year support for the *Drishyam* franchise.
•Critical reaction was mixed, with praise for suspense but questions about the necessity of a third film in the series.
•The film was directed by Jeethu Joseph, produced by Aashirvad Cinemas, and stars Mohanlal, Kunchako Boban, Fahadh Faasil, and Meena.
Mohanlal’s much-anticipated Malayalam thriller *Drishyam 3* has achieved a major box office milestone, crossing the Rs 100 crore mark globally within just three days of its release. The film, released on the actor’s birthday on May 21, continued its strong upward trajectory at the box office even after a slight dip on its second day. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, *Drishyam 3* earned Rs 13.7 crore on Day 3, pushing its domestic net collection to Rs 40.60 crore. The film’s worldwide gross now stands at Rs 117.17 crore, confirming its status as a major commercial success in the Malayalam cinema industry.
The recovery on Day 3 was particularly notable, with the film showing a 24 percent growth over Friday’s earnings. On Saturday, *Drishyam 3* was screened across 5,185 shows nationwide, with the Malayalam version dominating in terms of both screens and occupancy. The original language version recorded a strong overall occupancy of 66.52 percent, with evening shows peaking at 75.42 percent and night shows at 72.75 percent. The highest occupancy was reported in Kochi, where 88.3 percent of 238 shows were filled. The Telugu version contributed Rs 1.20 crore from 1,356 shows, while the Tamil version earned Rs 0.60 crore and the Kannada version added Rs 25 lakh. Overseas earnings also played a significant role, with the film collecting Rs 25 crore on Day 3 alone, bringing the total overseas gross to Rs 70 crore. Combined with domestic earnings, the worldwide gross has now reached Rs 117.17 crore.
Kerala emerged as the biggest market for *Drishyam 3*, contributing Rs 9.25 crore on Day 3. Karnataka followed with Rs 2.50 crore, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together added Rs 1.50 crore. Tamil Nadu contributed Rs 1.45 crore, and the rest of India generated Rs 1.29 crore. The film’s robust performance across multiple languages and regions underscores its widespread appeal and strong fan base.
Directed and written by Jeethu Joseph and produced by Aashirvad Cinemas, *Drishyam 3* reunites Mohanlal with actors Kunchako Boban and Fahadh Faasil, along with Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Murali Gopy, Siddique, and Asha Sarath. The film marks Mohanlal’s second release of 2026 after *Patriot*, in which he starred alongside Mammootty and failed to make a significant impact at the box office, earning a gross collection of Rs 79.91 crore. Before *Drishyam 3*, Mohanlal’s last major blockbuster was *Thudarum* (2025), which earned Rs 236 crore globally.
Mohanlal took to social media to express his gratitude to fans for the overwhelming response. On X (formerly Twitter), he shared, “Thank you for carrying this journey with us for 13 years. Your love, support, and belief in this story continue to humble us every day.” Reflecting on the film’s success, he added, “Drishyam 3 was made with immense love, passion, and gratitude, and seeing that love come back through your response has been deeply moving. Your reviews, your words, and the emotions you have shared mean far more to me than any number ever can. Thank you for watching, for connecting, for feeling every moment, and for embracing Georgekutty and family as your own.”
While audiences have responded enthusiastically, critical reception has been more nuanced. ETimes praised the film for delivering the suspense and emotional payoff associated with the *Drishyam* franchise but raised concerns about the necessity of a third installment. The review noted, “The final portions still manage to deliver the tension and emotional payoff expected from the Drishyam brand. Yet the larger question remains unavoidable — was a third part truly necessary?” It added, “The original film had closure within its moral ambiguity, while the second part expanded the psychological consequences effectively. This third chapter often feels like a continuation driven more by the weight of a successful franchise than by an urgent storytelling need.”
With its record-breaking box office performance and strong fan engagement, *Drishyam 3* has cemented its place as one of the most successful Malayalam films of recent years. The film’s success also sets the stage for further discussions on the sustainability of long-running franchises in Indian cinema.
