The buzz around Drishyam 3 has been louder than any of its predecessors, with audiences flocking to theatres across 17,323 screens—an unprecedented spread for a Hindi‑language release this year. By day three, the net tally in India hit ₹176.5 crore, while overseas receipts added another ₹20 crore, pushing the worldwide total to ₹272.8 crore.
Taran Adarsh, the trade guru who has been predicting box‑office trajectories since the 1990s, posted a Sunday update that Drishyam 3 was poised to become the second‑biggest opening weekend of 2026. He called Friday’s “sensational” day a launchpad, Saturday’s “remarkable” surge a confirmation, and hinted that the film’s run would be “an indelible impression” for fans.
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV didn’t mince words either. He wrote, “Come for Ajay Devgn, stay for Jaideep Ahlawat.” The former delivers raw intensity, the latter anchors the narrative with a weight that lingers long after the credits roll. Chatterjee applauded the director Abhishek Pathak for carving an original story that, while different from the Malayalam originals, preserves the franchise’s core tension.
The ensemble—Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj, and Ishita Dutta—brings a mix of veteran gravitas and fresh dynamism. Pathak’s screenplay, co‑written with him, steps away from Jeethu Joseph’s hand in the first two films, offering a new narrative arc that keeps long‑time fans on their toes. As the story unfolds, the stakes feel higher, and the suspense tighter.
With a record‑breaking start, the next few weeks will test whether Drishyam 3 can sustain its momentum or if the hype will wane. For now, the film sits comfortably in the upper echelons of 2026’s box‑office history, and the conversation is already shifting to how it will influence the franchise’s future path.