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Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Ajay Devganji's Drishyam 3 did 420 crores business worldwide in 12 days and 320 crores business in India
In 12 days Ajay Devganji's Drishyam 3 did business of 320 crores in India and 420 crores worldwide. In 3 days Drishyam 3 with Ajay Devganji Tabuji did business of 175 crores in India and 230 crores business worldwide to make it blockbuster.Drishyam: The Conclusion[b] is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film co-written, produced, and directed by Abhishek Pathak. Produced by Panorama Studios and Star Studio18, it is a sequel to Drishyam 2 (2022). Unlike its predecessors, the film features an original story and is not narratively connected to its Malayalam counterpart.[6] The film stars Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav.[7]
Principal photography took place from December 2025 to June 2026 primarily in Mumbai and Goa.[8] Drishyam: The Conclusion was released in theatres on 2 October 2026, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.[9]
The film received positive reviews from critics.[10] It is currently the 5th highest-grossing Hindi film of 2026.
Plot
The plot of the film connects with the predecessor. For more information on the predecessor's plot, see Drishyam 2.
Six months later,[c] the case against the Salgaonkar family has been closed due to a lack of evidence. Devastated by her inability to prove Vijay's involvement in her son Sameer's death, Meera Deshmukh's mental state deteriorates. Her husband, Mahesh eventually asks SP Rajveer Singh Tomar of the Crime Branch to reopen the investigation, despite previously opposing the idea.
Despite DNA testing proving that the skeleton recovered in the previous investigation did not belong to Sameer, Tomar suspects that Vijay may have replaced Sameer's skeletal remains shortly before the court proceedings. He and Laxmikant Gaitonde quietly resume the investigation, monitoring Vijay's movements. During their surveillance, they discover that Vijay has been frequently visiting a local church and has befriended Raghu, the security guard at a medical college, where the evidence was previously stored. Raghu reveals that Vijay visited the college with him on the night of 23 July 2021, the day skeletal was obtained from the Pandolem Police Station, where they drank together until passing out. As the college had no functioning CCTV cameras covering the evidence room, Tomar concludes that Vijay used the opportunity to swap Sameer's skeleton with another set of remains.
Tomar begins an investigation into the origin of the unidentified skeleton that Vijay allegedly used during the exchange. He and his team search records for young men approximately between the ages of 15 and 20 years old, who died of severe head trauma and eventually identifies the swapped skeleton as belonging to Christopher Pinto. His investigation leads him to Christopher's grave and its caretaker Savio D'Souza, who has since disappeared. Meanwhile, Vijay maintains a respectable public image, regularly visiting a local church and making donations while continuing to work on his upcoming film. He also begins working with a prop artist to create a highly realistic prop for its production.
Vijay's elder daughter, Anju, deeply concerned about her family's case being reopened, remains reluctant to move on with her life. Vijay, who is attempting to arrange a suitable marriage for her, reassures her that he has filed a petition in the High Court to permanently close the case. Savio is eventually located in Kerala and agrees to submit a written statement against Vijay, implicating him in the disappearance and replacement of Christopher's skeleton. Meanwhile, Meera and Mahesh hire prominent lawyer Indrajith Shetty to represent them. During the subsequent court hearing, Raghu testifies that Vijay was with him at the college on the night of 23 July 2021, while Savio retracts his statement, claiming it was coerced by the police. Shetty argues that the conflicting evidence warrants further investigation and requests the court to order the excavation of Christopher's grave. Despite objections from Vijay's defense, the court grants the request.
When Tomar and his team arrive at the cemetery, they are confronted by members of the local Christian community, who oppose the excavation on religious grounds. The excavation eventually takes place; however to everyone's surprise, Christopher's skeletal remains intact. Concurrently, Shetty questions Nandini about Vijay's whereabouts on the night of 23 July 2021. She states that Vijay was at home. Shetty then presents audio recordings gathered by undercover officers, Shiv and Jenny, who purchased a property next to the Salgaonkar residence and installed surveillance equipment.[d] The audio recordings places Vijay inside his home, directly contradicting Raghu's testimony. Due to conflicting evidence, the court finds reasonable doubt, accquits the Salgaonkar family, and permanently closes the case.
After the hearing, Tomar, Meera, Mahesh, Shiv, and Jenny reconstruct Vijay's scheme. Approximately two and a half years ago, Jenny and Shiv purchased the neighbouring property while working undercover. Vijay had initially been suspicious of the couple and later discovered that they had installed listening devices throughout his house. Anticipating that his movements would be monitored, Vijay devised a second deception. With the cooperation of his family, he used a cassette player, radio, and prerecorded recordings to create the impression that he was at home on the night of 23 July 2021. While the recording played inside the house, Vijay was actually at the college with Raghu.
To delay the excavation, through his regular visits to the church, Vijay used a false identity "Sister Pereira" to repeatedly warn members that the government planned to demolish the church and cemetery to acquire the land, while arranging for the JCB operators and workers to appear that such preparations were underway. Vijay eventually used this deception to prevent the police from thoroughly examining Christopher's grave. Although they reconstruct his plan, they have no evidence that can be used to prove it in court. Christopher's skeleton remains in his grave, the recordings appear to establish Vijay's presence at his home, and the community continues refusing further disturbance of the grave. However, one question remains unresolved: if Christopher's skeleton is still in his grave, where is the skeleton Vijay originally used to replace Sameer's?
The answer is revealed when Vijay meets Savio. Savio had expected Vijay to return Christopher's skeleton after using it in the exchange. However, because the skeleton was placed under strict surveillance in the evidence room, Vijay was unable to retrieve it. It is then revealed that Vijay's months-long work with the prop artist served another purpose. The supposedly ordinary film prop was actually a highly detailed replica of a human skeleton. Vijay obtains the replica and with the assistance of Savio, secretly places it inside Christopher's grave. With the replica placed in the coffin, Vijay fulfills his promise to Savio while convincing both the authorities and local community that Christopher's remains were never disturbed. Ultimately, Vijay turns the evidence meant to expose him into part of his alibi, leaving the police without usable evidence against his family.
Cast
Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar
Jaideep Ahlawat as SP Rajveer Singh Tomar IPS, Crime Branch
Tabu as Meera Deshmukh, former Inspector general of police; Sam's mother
Shriya Saran as Nandini Salgaonkar, Vijay's wife; Anju and Anu's mother
Rajat Kapoor as Mahesh Deshmukh, Meera's husband; Sam's father
Prakash Raj as Public Prosecutor Indrajith Shetty
Ishita Dutta as Anju Salgaonkar, Vijay and Nandini's elder daughter
Mrunal Jadhav as Anu Salgaonkar, Vijay and Nandini's younger daughter
Kamlesh Sawant as SI Laxmikant Gaitonde
Saurabh Shukla as Murad Ali
Samvedna Suwalka as Adv. Gayathri Mohan
Nishant Singh as SI Shiv Kulkarni
Neha Joshi as ASI Jenny Thomas
Ajeet Singh as Raghu Naik
Ramchandra Singh as Savio D'Souza
Jairoop Jeevan as Jacob De Mello
Amir Salim Khan as Anil Kamath
Akashdeep Sabir as Justice Joseph Mathews
Abhishek Gaikwad as Suhaas
Dodo Bhujwala as Cyrus
Sanjay Dadhich as Paolo Fernandes
Lalit Sawant as Nilesh Shinde
Ajoy Chakraborty as Father Moses
Shivraj Walvekar as DGP Sinha
Aarti Desai as Principal Nair
Jiten Lalwani as Mr. Kamat
Leena Sharma as Mrs. Kamat
Manish Tyagi as Vineet Kamat
Rakesh Dubey as Astrologer
Production
Development
In May 2025, it was confirmed that the third instalment of the original film series would be remade in Hindi.[11] Earlier reports suggested that the original and remake would be filmed and released together simultaneously.[12] However, Jeethu Joseph dismissed these reports, clarifying that original film would release first.[13] In May 2026, Jeethu Joseph confirmed that the film would feature a different narrative from the original version.[14][15] In August 2026, the film's official title was revealed as Drishyam: The Conclusion by the makers.[16]
Casting
In October 2025, Paresh Rawal was reported to have been offered a role in the film.[17] Akshaye Khanna was initially set to reprise his role from the prequel but later exited the project due to creative and financial disagreements with the producers.[18][19] He was subsequently replaced by Jaideep Ahlawat.[20] In February 2026, Prakash Raj joined the cast.[21]
Filming
Principal photography began in December 2025 in Mumbai.[8] In January 2026, filming continued in Goa.[22] Filming was completed in June 2026.[23]
Music
Drishyam: The Conclusion
Soundtrack album by Ravi Basrur, Rochak Kohli and Karma
Released 28 September 2026[24]
Recorded 2025–26
Studios AMV Studio, Mumbai
Soundemic Studios, Dubai
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length 14:54
Language Hindi
Label Sony Music India
Producers Ravi Basrur, Chethan Handattu, Rochak Kohli, Karma, AK4EAL
External audio
audio icon Drishyam: The Conclusion - Jukebox on YouTube
The music of the film is composed by Ravi Basrur, Rochak Kohli and Karma, with lyrics written by Manoj Muntashir, Aamil Keeyan Khan, and Karma.[25] The film score is composed by Amar Mohile.
The first single titled "Vingansa" was released on 17 September 2026.[26] The second single titled "Muskura Do" was released on 23 September 2026.[27] The third single titled "Game Over" was released on 28 September 2026.[28]
Track listing
No. Title Lyrics Music Singer(s) Length
1. "Vingansa" Aamil Keeyan Khan Ravi Basrur Siddharth Basrur 4:31
2. "Muskura Do" Manoj Muntashir Rochak Kohli Lucky Ali 3:51
3. "Daastaan – The Drishyam Recap" Aamil Keeyan Khan Ravi Basrur Sunidhi Chauhan 4:12
4. "Game Over" Karma Karma Karma 2:20
Total length: 14:54
Release
Theatrical
In December 2025, an announcement video revealed the release date as 2 October 2026, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.[29][30] The film's official trailer was revealed on 9 September 2026 at a special event in Panjim, Goa.[31]
Distribution
Panorama Studios and Zee Studios acquired the overseas theatrical distribution rights.[32]
Home media
The digital streaming rights of the film were acquired by Netflix.[33]
Reception
Box office
Drishyam The Conclusion grossed ₹262.34 crore (US$27 million) worldwide. It grossed ₹199.94 crore (US$21 million) in India and ₹62.4 crore (US$6.5 million) in overseas market.[4]
On its opening day, the film earned ₹62.03 crore net at the domestic box office.[4]
Critical response
Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, and praised its direction, writing, performances, courtroom sequences and climax, and called it "the best film in the Drishyam franchise".[34] Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India called the film, "[...] a surprisingly satisfying watch."[35]
Sajin Shrijith of The Week, finding the film superior to its Malayalam counterpart, gave it 4 stars out of 5 and wrote in the epigraph of his review, "'Drishyam 3: The Conclusion', led by Ajay Devgn, excels by opting for a unique narrative rather than mimicking its predecessors, focusing on emotional depth and intricate storytelling about perceived, genuine, and fabricated truths."[36]
Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India gave the film 4 stars out of 5 and noted at the end of her review, "Drishyam 3 chooses to stick to the franchise's standard template rather than risk reinventing it. At two-and-a-half hours, however, the film begins to drag towards the end and could have benefited from tighter editing. Still, its biggest strength remains its ability to keep you immersed and consistently anxious about what happens next."[37] Kartik Bhardwaj of Cinema Express also gave the film 4 stars out of 5, observing, "In the era of passive viewing on OTT and loud spectacles in theatres, Drishyam 3 provides such a cerebrally engaged viewing experience which has become a rarity."[38] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote, "The script smartly absorbs the franchise’s obsession, where viewers see Vijay as an unbeatable folk hero. So, instead of showing us how he hides the crime, the screenplay spends a lot of time on how the system attempts to deconstruct the myth of a 4th-grade dropout. In this subversion of power, Ajay Devgn’s inscrutable face forces the polished system to peel back its civility and resort to desperate hostility."[39] Pragati Awasthi of WION summed up in her review, "For me, Drishyam: The Conclusion gave me the satisfying ending my inner soul was wishing for."[40]
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 3 stars out of 5, observing, "But while the men do most of the heavy lifting, I don:t think I will be able to forget Tabu’s wounded eyes, which belong to a mother unable to comprehend a world which doesn't have her only child. She's terrific, as always."[41] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV also gave the film 3 stars out of 5, writing, "Riding on a taut script that is predicated on mishaps and moves of the past, Drishyam: The Conclusion stitches together a tale that is fascinating enough not to lose much steam as it makes its way to a flummoxing and inconclusive denouement. The elements strewn along the pathway to the climax do their bit to hold the film together."[42] Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave the film 3 stars out of 5 as well and concluded in his review, "Overall, Drishyam: The Conclusion has enough drama and nostalgia to keep the fans engaged. But for a franchise that built its reputation on making the impossible seem plausible, this one asks us to take a few too many things at face value. It has the ingredients of a satisfying finale, just not the trick to pull it off. The mystery may finally be over, but the magic of the first Drishyam remains hard to recreate."[43] Sana Farzeen of India Today, too, gave the film 3 stars out of 5, writing in her review, "The film moves with confidence, but the problem comes in when it occasionally becomes too indulgent. There is a lot of dialogue-baazi, and while some of it is entertaining, most of it begins to feel like the writers are enjoying their own cleverness a little too much. There is a courtroom exchange where the judge tells everyone to come to the "mudde ki baat", and honestly, there are moments when you want to say the same thing to the film."[44] Likewise, Chirag Sehgal of News18 gave the film 3 stars out of 5 and noted, "Drishyam 3: The Conclusion is a gripping and fast-paced thriller that understands the appeal of its franchise. It keeps you invested and benefits from strong performances, particularly from Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Prakash Raj and Kamlesh Sawant. However, the film's biggest strength is also its weakness. It is not a bad film but it sticks closely to the Drishyam formula, making it familiar. It is not a grand conclusion that the franchise deserved."[45]
Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5. She noted, juxtaposing against Malayalam counterpart, "Georgekutty [Drishyam 3 protagonist] monetises the guilt he is burdened by to make his movie making dreams come true. He's a hypocrite and conformist yet accepting of his flaws and errors. No such character evolution is to be found in Drishyam: The Conclusion."[46] Bryan Durham of Variety India pointed out, "[...] the cat-and-mouse game is not as entertaining as it once was. There’s nothing to look forward to anymore: not the novelty or enthusiasm that defined the first film, not the tension and game of wits that elevated the second."[47]
Versatile Salil Choudhuryji is remembered with his east west blend of music.
Remembering Salil Choudhury.
Salil Choudhury, noted scholar, poet, composer and literary giant was remembered on his death anniversary on 5th September, 2026. He was also remembered on his birthday on 19th November, 2024. As he was a versatile scholar, his scholarly attributes were reflected in his creations. He was both the lyricist and the composer and numerous songs sung by legendary singers over 50 years.
His creation “ami parini bujhite parini” and “tumi jaante” for Manobendra Mukherjee were created with two different andaz, one having classical orientation while the other having westernized treatment. His creation “jhanana jhanana baje” and “antabihin oi andharater shesh” for Dhanonjoy Bhattacharya showed his class in handling classical singers.
On the other hand his strength in folk songs were evident in his song “sunayoni sunayoni” sung by Nirmalendu Choudhury and Sabita Choudhury. Nirmalendu became famous all across the world with his folk numbers. Salil Choudhury hugely experimented with Shymal Mitra in songs like “jadi kichu amare shudhao”, “aha oi ankabanka poth jai shudure”, “dur nai beshi dur oi”, “ja jare ja ja pakhi”, to name a few. In “jadi kichu amare shudhao”, Salil Choudhury’s orchestration was unique, half of the song was blank verse while the other half had musical treatment. Salil Choudhury used the different playback singers in Bengal and explored their talents to the brim. Some of the great compositions include “eso kache boso” sung by Tarun Banerjee, “pallabini go sancharini” sung by Dwijen Mukherjee, “Jodi jante go tumi jante” sung by Manobendra Mukherjee, “jai jai din” sung by Biswajeet Chatterjee, to name a few. The list can go on.
Salil Choudhury created a gem with the song “nil nil pakhi” for Sandhya Mukherjee. Besides, bengal’s literary community were astonished with Salil Choudhury conversion of famous poetry “ujjal ek jhak paira” sung by Sandhya Mukherjee into song. The poet’s feelings were translated into musical tune by sheer brilliance of Salil Choudhury. Other examples of converting legendary poems into songs include “runner” written by Shukanto Bhattacharya and “palki chole” written by Satyendranath Dutta which were sung by Hemanta Mukherjee which both became history. In “runner” the march of the postman on foot from remote corners of village was given adequate expression by Salil Choudhury.
Salil Choudhury’s national fame allowed him to do numerous experiments with bollywood singers like Mukesh and Lata. Articles after articles can be devoted to Lata Salil Choudhury creations in Bengali. Mukesh also sung hit song “jhum jhum pakshi nachona” composed by Salil Choudhury.
Salil Choudury created his masterpieces in Bengali films as well like Shyamal Mitra’s song “onek ghuriya sheshe” in Hrithik Ghatak’s film Bari Theke Paliye, Nirmalendu Choudhury’s song “sojoni o sojoni” and Manna Dey’s “uthali pathali amar buuk” in Rajen Tarafdar’s film Ganga. Besides his song “he bhai re bhai” and “baje go beena” sung by Manna Dey in the film Marjina Abdulla made the listeners speechless. Even Lata’s song “bujhbe na keu bujhbena” was equally popular.
Bimal Roy’s film Do Bigha Zameen was based on Salil Choudhury’s literature. His music in the films Do Bigha Zameen, Madhumati, Musafir, Parakh, Jagte Raho, Anand, Maya, Rajnigandha, etc., stand out as landmarks in Indian film history. He received filmfare award for brilliant performance in the film Madhumati. All the songs in the film including Lata’s “aja re”, “ghari ghari”, Rafi’s “tute hue khwabonme”, “jangal me mor nacha”, Mukesh’s “dil tarap tarap ke”, “suhana safar aur mausam hasin” touched the souls of numerous Indians in the late 50s.
Other notable songs of Salil Choudhury in bollywood films include “tasveer teri dil me” from Maya, “zindagi kaisi hai paheli hai”, “kahin dur jab din dhal jaye” from Anand, “rajnigandha” from Rajnigandha, “jago mohan pyare” from Jagte Raho, “dil tadpe tadpaye” from Poonam Ki Raat, to name a few.
Bengal and India was as a whole was indebted to a maestro like Salil Choudhury and several researches can be undertaken for finding out the history behind his creations. One article is not enough to reiterate the immortal works of the giant creator. The creations should be preserved and restored.
The country remembers immortal music duo Shankar Jaikishanji on the birth anniversary of Shankarji
Immortal combination of Shankar Jaikishan with Mohammad Rafi sahab.
Great composer Shankar Singh Raghubvanshi is remembered on his birth anniversary on 15th October, 2026. He was also remembered on death anniversary on 26th April, 2023
Their songs ranked first in 6 years in Binaca Geetmala also between 1949 and 1971.
In 1955 "mera joota hai japani" sung by Mukeshji for Raj Kapoorsahab composed by SJ in film Shree 420 was first in Binaca Geetmala.
In 1961 "teri pyari pyari surat ko kisi ki nazar na lage" sung by Rafisahab for Rajender Kumarsahab in film Sasural composed by Shankar Jaikishan was first in Binaca Geetmala.
In 1962 "ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar" sung by Rafisahab for Shammi Kapoorji in film Junglee composed by SJ was first in Binaca Geetmala.
In 1964 "bol radha bol sangam hoga ki nahi" sung by Mukeshji for Raj Kapoorsahab in film Sangam composed by Shankar Jaikishan was first in Binaca Geetmala.
In 1966 "baharon phool barsao mera mehboob aya hai", sung by Rafisahab for Rajender Kumarji in film Suraj composed by Shankar Jaikishan was first in Binaca Geetmala.
In 1971, "zindagi ek safar hai suhana" sung by Kishore Kumarji for Rajesh Khannaji in film Andaz was first in Binaca Geetmala.
. He was one of the genius composers of the famous duo Shankar Jaikishan. In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s a number of composers dominated Bollywood films. Naushad Ali, Roshanlal Nagrath, Madanmohan Kohli, OP Nayyar, all had the class of their own. Shankar Jaikishan composed music in almost 195 films in that golden age.
One of the great reasons of Shankar Jaikishan’s huge success was due to the great combination with immortal singer Mohammad Rafi Sahab. If Rafi’s stylish andaz relating to westernized compositions are adequately it is Shankar Jaikishan who had used it to perfection. They had used Rafi for singing romantic songs with Japanese orchestration in Love in Tokyo, released in 1966 including songs like “aja re aa zara aa”, “Japan, Love in Tokyo”, “ o mere shahekhuba”, etc. In Biswajeet’s April Fool, released in 1964 SJ’s composition for Rafi including “aa gale lag ja” had westernized background. At the same time Rafi’s song “tumhe chaha” with Suman Kalyanpur was a great rendition in pensive mood.
SJ’s composition for Rafi in Shammi Kapoor’s An Evening in Paris, in 1967, like “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho”, “raat ke humsafar”, had loud French music with echo effect and Rafi’s intonation was also westernized. Shankar Jaikishan gave a completely different style of music to Rafi in Rajender Kumar’s Aarzoo, released in 1965 with songs like “aji ruth kar ab”, “chalke teri aankho se”, “ai nargisi mastana”, etc.
SJ had given songs addressing children to Rafi including “nanne munne bache teri mutthi me kya hai” in Boot Polish which was produced by Raj Kapoor and released in 1954, “hai na bolo bolo”, “re mamma re mamma re” in Shammi Kapoor’s Andaz, released in 1971 and “chakke p chakka” in Brahmchari, in 1969. Rafi pronounced the words with childish accent and SJ used the orchestration to attract children.
There were ghazals also given by SJ for Rafi including “rukh se zara nakab”, “kya kya na kahe” in Jeetender’s Mere Huzoor, “unke khayal aye to” in Raj Kumar’s Lal Patthar, “aye bahaar banke” in Pradeep Kumar’s Rajhaath, etc. Besides SJ’s creation involving Rafi in somber mood had created great impact including songs like “teri zulfon ki judai to nahi maangi thi” in Dev Anand’s Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar” in Shammi Kapoor’s Junglee, “yaad na aye” in Rajender Kumar’s Dil Ek Mandir.
Shankar Jaikishan had used Rafi’s classical andaz in the songs “radheke tune bansoori churai”, “ajahu na aye”, etc., and combined the ragas with devotional andaz. SJ has given music in almost 200 films within the span from 1949 to 1971, and at least each year they composed music for approximately 10 films. As Rafi was given predominance over other male singers SJ had use him in regular intervals even without doing injustice to Mukesh, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Talat Mehmood and others. Songs like “kaun hai jo sapno me aya” from Jhuk Gaya Aasman, “to bura maan gaye” from Ayee Milan Ki Bela, “yeh ankhen” from Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, “tujhe jeevan ki dor se” from Aasli Nakli, “dheere dheere chal” from Love Marriage, “badan pe sitaren lapete hue” from Prince, “mai kahin kavi na banjayun” from Pyar Hi Pyar, “mai gayun tum so jao” from Brahmchari, had not lost their flavour even 40 years after their creation due to sheer brilliance of Shankar Jaikishan. It is really tragic neither Shankar Jaikishan had received the accolades that they deserved nor Rafi’s association with them had been glorified but history says that the combination of Rafi with Shankar Jaikishan had produced invaluable creations which had become immortal over the period of time.
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