- Drishyam 3 continues the story of Georgekutty and his family living under fear of being caught
- Georgekutty is now a successful film producer who made a blockbuster based on his own story
- The film's first half is slow and lacks the twists that made the earlier films gripping
Drishyam (2013) and Drishyam 2 (2021) directed by Jeethu Joseph set the bar really high for this sequel. When Drishyam 3 was announced expectations were high and the audience was very eagerly waiting to see what new twisted fate - and the police - had in store for Georgekutty (Mohanlal) and his family.
As Drishyam 3 begins, we find Georgekutty and his family are settled into a somewhat normal life though the shadow of the past still follows them. Somewhat because Georgekutty, who was once a cable TV operator, has turned into a successful producer and made a film titled Drishyam based on his real life story. The movie is a Rs 100 crore blockbuster and while it should have completely turned their once traumatic life around, the constant palpable fear of being 'caught', runs through every single family member.
Georgekutty and his wife Rani (Meena) are also desperately trying to find a good groom for Anju, who is undergoing therapy, but rumours about her mental state is a major impediment. On one hand, this becomes a serious concern for Georgekutty, and on the other, he begins to get weighed down by a nagging suspicion that someone is out to get him. Are Georgekutty's suspicions right? Will there finally be some closure for this family?
After two thrilling films based on a traumatic incident which affects a family, director Jeethu Joseph tries to give the audience a closure with Drishyam 3. What is strikingly different in the third installment though, is how Jeethu Joseph's Georgekutty has changed. The constant pressure of protecting his family has aged him and one sees the visible fatigue. He is still confident but not as sharp as before. He is a loving father as always but the fear plaguing him has heightened.
While the director has sharply etched out the changes in the protagonist, the same cannot be said of the screenplay. The first half is deliberately slow like Drishyam 2 and the critical twists and turns that elevated the first two films are mostly missing in Drishyam 3. The screenplay is disappointing, and along with the lengthy runtime, the movie tests the patience of the audience. The film revisits a lot of the characters that appeared in the previous films and is built around them. Where it really picks up is in the climax portion and one wishes the director had applied the same tension and drama to the rest of the film.
Drishyam 3 is a Mohanlal show all the way. The Malayalam superstar essays the transition of Georgekutty as the ageing father in Drishyam 3 deftly through his silences, his fleeting glances, his measured responses and tired eyes that reflect his fatigue. There is the duality that keeps coming up on this film too - is he a hero or is he a villain? As a father who wants to protect his daughters at all costs, he is the hero but the fear that's eating at him makes his everyday life a punishment as well. The audience is able to empathise with Georgekutty and keeps them heavily invested in his story thanks to Mohanlal.
Meena, who plays Rani, is now the mother of elder daughters whose life concerns have changed. And she is very convincing and lends good support to Mohanlal. The two actors - Ansiba Hassan and Esther Anil who play the daughters - have matured as well, not just as actors but in their characters too.
Technically, the film stays rooted to its story and carries forward the legacy of the first two films. The cinematography by Satheesh Kurup, who also worked on Drishyam 2, is at par with the course but the editing by VS Vinayak could have been tighter and helped in bringing down the run time. The background score by Anil Johnson helps elevate the film while reinforcing those tense moments.
Mohanlal quietly carries the weight of the family secrets in Drishyam 3 and his performance creates a strong impact. The film is about family and protecting your loved ones and questions how far one would go to do this. And Mohanlal's Georgekutty tells us that this cannot be black and white. Drishyam 3 is not as thrilling and grilling as the previous two films but it is a must watch for Mohanlal and what Georgekutty represents.
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