A Franchise That Loses Its Thrill in Emotional Detours
Writer-director Jeethu Joseph deserves credit for bringing back most of the familiar faces from the previous installments of Drishyam 3 and assigning each character a meaningful role in the narrative. However, despite the return of Mohanlal as Georgekutty, the film lacks the emotional weight and tension expected from a gripping crime thriller. More than a suspense-driven narrative, the third installment unfolds as a quasi-emotional family drama with only traces of thriller elements. As a result, the unmatched brilliance of the original Drishyam remains untouched, thanks to its fresh premise and tightly woven suspense. Though Jeethu Joseph attempts to introduce surprise elements in the climax, the writing fails to elevate the experience to the level fans would expect.
One of the film's strengths is Mohanlal's effortless portrayal of Georgekutty. Even within a rather underwhelming script, the actor maintains the emotional complexity of the character with remarkable ease. Drishyam 3 successfully expands the franchise's emotional core, but the narrative loses momentum in the latter half due to a lack of novelty. Mohanlal convincingly captures Georgekutty's guilt, emotional conflict, and desperate attempts at redemption. Like in the earlier films, his nuanced performance effectively balances the character's multiple shades - a caring father, loving husband, and a man haunted by a crime from the past.
The story follows Georgekutty in a new phase of life as a successful film producer celebrating the success of his first production venture. His wife Rani (Meena) continues to hold onto her conservative outlook, while daughters Anju George (Ansiba Hassan) and Anu George (Esther Anil) remain deeply supportive of their father. Trouble begins when Georgekutty tries to arrange Anju's marriage while she still struggles with lingering trauma and attends psychiatric counselling. Soon, he realizes that someone is secretly sabotaging the marriage proposals. At the same time, Prabhakar (Siddique), the father of Varun - whose death triggered the events of the first film - resurfaces seeking revenge against Georgekutty and his family.
The film focuses on how Georgekutty confronts these emerging threats. The conflict intensifies after the interval when the police decide to reopen Varun's murder case. However, the tension fades quickly due to uninspired writing and underdeveloped supporting characters. Jeethu Joseph effectively portrays the expanded world of Georgekutty's family and his transition into filmmaking, but several sequences involving his production venture and actor Harikumar (Biju Menon) feel unnecessarily stretched and contribute little to the central narrative.
The subplot involving a television journalist, played by Veena Nandakumar, investigating Varun's remains initially appears promising but eventually loses relevance as the story shifts focus elsewhere. Satheesh Kurup's visuals add richness to the film's atmosphere, while Anil Johnson's background score blends effectively with the emotional tone of the narrative.
Although Drishyam 3 attempts to revisit the emotional and psychological terrain that defined the franchise, it falls short as a thriller. The film rarely generates genuine suspense or excitement, especially during its climax. While it continues Georgekutty's journey with emotional depth, the screenplay lacks the sharpness and unpredictability that once made the franchise exceptional. In the end, Drishyam 3 feels like the weakest chapter in the series so far.
