Drishyam 3 Reviews: Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat Draw Praise

• Drishyam: The Conclusion released in theatres on October 2, 2026, as the third and final instalment of the Hindi franchise.
• The Hindi third instalment follows an original story rather than remaking or narratively following the Malayalam Drishyam 3.
• Jaideep Ahlawat’s performance as Crime Branch officer Rajveer Singh Tomar received praise across several reviews and social-media reactions.
• Ajay Devgn’s return as Vijay Salgaonkar also drew strong reactions, although some critics found his performance restrained.
• Reviews were divided on the film’s pacing, emotional depth and twists, with several critics praising its thriller elements.
• The film also stars Tabu, Shriya Saran, Prakash Raj, Rajat Kapoor and Kamlesh Sawant.

Drishyam: The Conclusion arrived in theatres on October 2 with a new story, a new adversary for Vijay Salgaonkar and a clear attempt to close the Hindi franchise on its own terms. Early reactions have been enthusiastic in some quarters, particularly for Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat, while critics have been more divided over the film’s pacing and emotional depth.

Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the third Hindi Drishyam does not follow the story of the Malayalam franchise’s third instalment. Instead, it takes a separate narrative route while retaining the central character of Vijay Salgaonkar, played by Devgn.

The biggest praise has gone to Ahlawat, who plays Crime Branch officer Rajveer Singh Tomar. Several reviews singled out the actor’s screen presence and the tension created by his confrontation with Vijay.

One review described Tomar as an intimidating investigator and praised the battle of wits between Ahlawat and Devgn. Another called Ahlawat’s performance one of the film’s strongest elements, noting the character’s imposing introduction and presence.

Social-media reactions were similarly enthusiastic. One viewer wrote that “Ajay Devgn is a better actor than Mohanlal” and praised the changes made by Pathak to the story. The same post also highlighted Ahlawat, Kamlesh Sawant, Rajat Kapoor and Prakash Raj.

Another X user went a step further, jokingly choosing Ahlawat over Akshaye Khanna, who played a police officer in Drishyam 2. A separate reaction praised the pre-interval sequence and the face-off between Devgn and Ahlawat.

A different story from the Malayalam film

The decision to move away from the Malayalam Drishyam 3 is one of the Hindi film’s defining features. The supplied reviews repeatedly point to that choice as a major reason the film feels different from its predecessors.

One critic called the Hindi film “far superior to the Malayalam version,” arguing that its decision to tell a completely different story gives the franchise room to develop its own ideas. That review praised the film for leaning into storytelling, perceived truth and fabricated truth — themes that have been central to Vijay’s character.

Another review noted that the Hindi film appears more comfortable once it is freed from the expectation of matching the Malayalam series. It described the film as mainstream Hindi storytelling that embraces its own style rather than attempting to reproduce its source material.

The film also introduces several new elements into Vijay’s latest confrontation. Rajveer Singh Tomar becomes the central investigator, while Prakash Raj plays Bengaluru-based public prosecutor Indrajith Shetty. Kamlesh Sawant returns as Gaitonde, with reviewers highlighting his comic moments.

Reviews praise the thriller mechanics, but pacing divides opinion

The strongest consensus among the positive reviews is that Drishyam 3 understands what its audience expects from the franchise: clues, misdirection, reversals and the question of how Vijay will escape the latest threat.

One review praised the film for sprinkling evidence throughout the story and keeping viewers engaged with seemingly minor details. Another highlighted the use of callbacks and said the film successfully subverts expectations.

A separate review described the final act as a sequence of twists and revelations that keeps the audience invested even when Vijay’s eventual ability to escape is never entirely in doubt.

But the response was not uniformly positive.

One review criticised the film’s sluggish pace, saying the wait for the climactic twist creates more yawns than excitement. The same review argued that the movie gives insufficient attention to the emotional consequences for Vijay, his wife Nandini and their daughters.

That assessment also questioned Devgn’s restrained performance and said Jaideep Ahlawat’s character, despite a strong introduction, ultimately has less impact than expected.

Another review gave the film 3.5 stars and praised its direction, performances, background music and ability to keep viewers actively engaged. Even that review acknowledged that the story contains some holes and “wild swings,” while arguing that the film remains engrossing across its 150-minute runtime.

The more positive reviews also highlighted Prakash Raj as an important addition to the conflict. His character, Indrajith Shetty, works alongside Tomar in building a case against the Salgaonkars, giving the film another layer to its central battle of wits.

What viewers are saying

Social-media reactions have leaned toward praise for the performances, particularly Devgn and Ahlawat. One post described the film as a “predictable family thriller” but still singled out Ahlawat and Prakash Raj, while another praised the tension of the Devgn-Ahlawat confrontation.

The reactions also included claims about the film’s box-office performance. One X user posted that the film was heading toward strong figures and speculated about its possible collections during the day. Those figures and projections are social-media claims rather than independently established results in the supplied material.

The film’s advance-booking figures, however, were reported separately before release. According to figures attributed to Sacnilk in the supplied material, Drishyam: The Conclusion had generated Rs 51.44 crore through advance bookings across six show dates by 10 p.m. on October 1, including block seats. Without block seats, the figure was reported at Rs 41.17 crore.

The film stars Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Prakash Raj, Rajat Kapoor, Kamlesh Sawant, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav.

With its theatrical release now underway, the early response presents a mixed critical picture: Ahlawat’s Rajveer has emerged as a major talking point, while the film’s pacing and emotional treatment have drawn reservations from some reviewers. The common thread is that Drishyam: The Conclusion has chosen to take its own route rather than reproduce the Malayalam third instalment.