Drishyam 3 Box Office Day 1 Collection Rs 43 Crore Worldwide as Mohanlal Starrer Becomes Second Biggest Malayalam Opener of All Time
Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 Opens to Rs 43.37 Crore Worldwide
The wait for one of Malayalam cinema’s most anticipated sequels ended on 21 May 2026 when Drishyam 3, starring the legendary Mohanlal, hit theatres across India and overseas. Despite receiving mixed reviews from both audiences and critics, the Jeethu Joseph-directed crime thriller delivered a blockbuster opening, earning Rs 43.37 crore worldwide on its very first day. The number makes Drishyam 3 the second-biggest opener in the history of Malayalam cinema, trailing only the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan, which continues to hold the record for the highest opening-day collection for a Malayalam film.
According to entertainment tracking portal Sacnilk, Drishyam 3 earned Rs 15.85 crore nett — that is, gross minus taxes — and Rs 18.37 crore gross from Indian theatres on its opening day. The film also performed remarkably well in overseas markets, grossing Rs 25 crore from the Gulf, North America, the United Kingdom and Australia combined. This strong international performance underlines the massive global fanbase that Mohanlal and the Drishyam franchise have cultivated over the past decade.
How Drishyam 3 Compares to Its Predecessors
The original Drishyam, released in 2013, is widely regarded as one of the finest thrillers ever produced in Indian cinema. It tells the story of Georgekutty, a simple cable TV operator who devises an ingenious plan to protect his family after they accidentally kill the son of a powerful police inspector general. The film was such a cultural phenomenon that it spawned official remakes in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and several other languages. The Hindi remake, starring Ajay Devgn, became one of the most profitable Bollywood films of 2015.
Drishyam 2, which arrived in 2021 during the pandemic era, initially released on Amazon Prime Video before later getting a theatrical run. It picked up the story six years after the original, exploring how Georgekutty’s carefully constructed lie begins to unravel under renewed police investigation. The sequel was acclaimed for maintaining the tension and narrative complexity of the first film, and its Hindi remake in 2022 became a massive box office success, earning over Rs 240 crore domestically.
Drishyam 3 now takes the franchise into new territory. While plot details remain under wraps for those who have not yet watched it, early reports suggest that Jeethu Joseph has crafted a story that raises the stakes significantly for Georgekutty and his family, introducing new antagonists and moral dilemmas that test the protagonist’s legendary cunning. The film also reportedly features an ensemble cast of veteran actors alongside Mohanlal, adding depth to the narrative.
Mixed Reviews but Strong Commercial Performance
Critical reception for Drishyam 3 has been divided. Several reviewers have praised the film’s ambitious storytelling and Mohanlal’s commanding screen presence, noting that the actor continues to deliver performances of remarkable subtlety even as he approaches his mid-sixties. The production values, cinematography and background score have also received positive mentions.
However, some critics have pointed out that the film suffers from pacing issues in its second half and that certain plot twists feel contrived compared to the tight, believable storytelling of the first two instalments. A handful of reviews have noted that the screenplay occasionally relies too heavily on audience familiarity with the franchise rather than building fresh tension organically.
Despite the mixed critical response, the commercial performance tells a clear story of audience enthusiasm. Advance booking numbers were extraordinary, with several theatre chains reporting near-complete occupancy for opening-day shows across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and metropolitan cities in North India. The overseas pre-sales were equally impressive, driven by the large Malayalam-speaking diaspora in the Gulf countries and North America.
Box Office Breakdown by Region
Kerala, expectedly, contributed the lion’s share of the domestic collection. The state accounted for approximately Rs 9.2 crore of the Rs 15.85 crore nett, reflecting the massive hold that Mohanlal and the Drishyam brand have on the home audience. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka collectively contributed around Rs 3.8 crore, while the rest of India, including Hindi-speaking markets, added approximately Rs 2.85 crore.
The overseas performance of Rs 25 crore is particularly noteworthy because it represents nearly 58 per cent of the total worldwide collection. This skew towards international markets is a pattern increasingly common in big-ticket Malayalam releases, driven by the purchasing power of the Gulf diaspora and growing interest in South Indian cinema across Western countries. The film’s performance in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar was especially strong, with several shows selling out days in advance.
Comparison with Other Major 2026 Openers
Drishyam 3’s Rs 43.37 crore worldwide opening puts it in elite company for 2026. The film’s performance compares favourably with other major releases this year, including recent Bollywood releases that have struggled to match these numbers. Among South Indian films, only Karuppu, starring Suriya, has delivered a stronger opening this month.
The film’s trajectory over the coming days will be crucial. Historically, Malayalam films with mixed reviews tend to see sharper weekday drops compared to universally praised releases. Industry analysts estimate that Drishyam 3 will need to maintain at least 50 per cent occupancy through the first weekend to have a realistic shot at crossing the Rs 200 crore mark worldwide.
What This Means for the Drishyam Franchise
The commercial success of Drishyam 3’s opening day effectively guarantees that the franchise will continue to be one of the most valuable intellectual properties in Indian cinema. Reports have already surfaced that a Hindi remake is in early discussions, with Ajay Devgn expected to reprise his role as the Hindi Georgekutty.
For Mohanlal personally, the opening validates his enduring box office appeal. Coming after the record-breaking success of L2: Empuraan, Drishyam 3 confirms that the actor remains the single biggest draw in Malayalam cinema, capable of delivering openings that rival those of Bollywood’s top stars on a per-screen basis.
The success also reinforces the growing trend of South Indian cinema commanding pan-India attention. What was once a regional market is now a national force, with Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films routinely outperforming their Bollywood counterparts in terms of critical acclaim and, increasingly, commercial returns. Audiences across India have demonstrated a clear appetite for well-crafted stories regardless of language, and the proliferation of OTT platforms has only accelerated this cultural convergence.
As Drishyam 3 heads into its first weekend, all eyes will be on whether the film can sustain its momentum or whether the mixed reviews will dampen enthusiasm. Either way, the opening day numbers have already written a significant chapter in Malayalam cinema’s ongoing box office revolution.
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