'Drishyam 3' movie review: A cue to end the franchise

Thirteen years have passed since the murder of Varun Prabhakar, the son of a former IG, and the crime continues to cast a shadow over Georgekutty’s family, threatening to upset their daughter’s marriage plans.

The Mohanlal-led film, with the tagline ‘the past never stays silent’, brings back old foes who have now joined forces to bring down the genius criminal, convinced that Georgekutty just had luck and time on his side.  In terms of structure, the third instalment of the ‘Drishyam’ franchise unravels just like its predecessors. The first half of the film moves at an unhurried pace with hints of an impending trouble. The second half brings twists and more faces from the past, with one of them undergoing a major transformation. Siddique and Murali Gopy get more screen time. Asha Sharath, who played the indomitable IG Geetha Prabhakar in the first two parts, is mostly missing in action as ‘Drishyam 3’ ultimately becomes a face-off between fathers. 

Both ‘Drishyam’ 1 and 2 stood out for clever climaxes. Director Jeethu Joseph, who has written all three films, flips the narrative again for the third instalment, ensuring that viewers are thrown off by the climax twist. But it does feel stretched. 

Credit goes to Jeethu for creating Georgekutty, for whom the audience still roots for. Mohanlal ably anchors the film with his compelling performance as Georgekutty, who has now begun to doubt himself. ‘Drishyam 3’ does not quite meet the standards set by its predecessors, signalling that it is time to bring down the curtains on the popular franchise.