Director Abhishek Pathak says he chose to write an original story for Drishyam: The Conclusion rather than wait to remake Jeethu Joseph's Malayalam Drishyam 3, in a recent interview.
The decision came after Drishyam 2, Pathak said. Although many liked his Hindi version, a section of the audience kept talking about the Malayalam original, so he asked his writers to "work on an original story" for the third part. He co-wrote the film with Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh.
An offer to Jeethu Joseph
Once the screenplay was ready, Pathak said, he offered to let Jeethu Joseph's team read the Hindi script, but they declined. He believes the Malayalam team was still writing its own screenplay at the time, and said he was glad each side ended up making its own version.
Knowing comparisons were inevitable, he said, the team took a completely new approach and wanted to set a benchmark with the writing. He described the film as the franchise's last original offering from his side.
Different films for different audiences
The Hindi film, led by Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar, plays as a twist-heavy mainstream entertainer, while the Malayalam Drishyam 3, with Mohanlal as Georgekutty, leans towards subdued psychological drama. Pathak said he wants to make films that general theatre audiences can enjoy, not ones only a few people appreciate.
He also spoke about the film's memes, including a viral line from a rehearsal scene that he never expected to catch on, and said the team deliberately wrote comic punches for Kamlesh Sawant's Gaitonde.
Drishyam: The Conclusion released on October 2 and is running in theatres.
Also read: Mohanlal on Ajay Devgn's Drishyam: The Conclusion
