Drishyam The Conclusion vs Drishyam 3: Ajay Devgn And Mohanlal Films Seek Closure, But The Roads Never Meet

Vijay Salgaonkar and Georgekutty set out on the same path years ago. They want to protect their respective families from the clutches of the law and judiciary after a crime takes place within the four walls of their houses.

By the time they reach the third instalment of the franchise, Drishyam, their journeys take different lanes, bylanes and alleys, while the end-all remains the same. After all, it's all about protecting your family.

Ajay Devgn's Drishyam The Conclusion deviates from the original Malayalam Drishyam 3, released in May this year.

Director Abhishek Pathak came up with an original story to prove his calibre as an artiste and to ward off Drishyam 3's polarised reactions. Drawing a parallel between the two is a mammoth task. However, we are trying to explore the major points of bifurcation in the two films as they always try to create a new perception beyond the immediate realities, an illusion beyond the vision.

Introduction

The catchlines of both films are interesting. The Hindi counterpart says Drishyam The Conclusion, suggesting the end of the franchise. The catchline of Drishyam 3 says, 'The Past Never Stays Silent.' The film ends on a voiceover that Georgekutty (Mohanlal) seeks an end. But it doesn't seem so. At press events, Mohanlal teased the possibilities of Drishyam 4 and Drishyam 5.

The tone and mood of the introductory scenes of the respective films set the conversation in motion - Drishyam The Conclusion is not a Drishyam 3.

In Drishyam 3, the film opens inside a theatre, where producer Georgekutty enjoys his new production Drishyam with his family and the leading star. The film becomes a box-office giant, breaking records. Holding up a mirror to the Drishyam meta-verse, director Jeetu Joseph's Drishyam 3 begins on a jubilant note, implying a sense of settlement in Georgekutty's personal life as well.

Contrary to the Malayalam counterpart, the Hindi film begins on a note of depression and gloom. Meera Deshmukh (police officer and Sam's mother) attempts suicide, forcing her husband to reopen the case of Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn).

In Drishyam 3, Meera's counterpart, Geetha Prabhakar, is almost an absent entity as her husband, Prabhakar, hatches a plan to trap and hunt Georgekutty down.

Daughter's Marriage

Drishyam is as much about Vijay and Georgekutty as it is about their elder daughter Anju, who commits the crime in self-defence.

In Drishyam 3, Anju's (Ansiba Hassan) marriage plays a pivotal plot twist.

In Hindi Drishyam, Anju's (Ishita Dutta) potential match-making scenario is disrupted by SP Rajveer Singh Tomar (Jaideep Ahlawat). SP Rajveer challenges Vijay to prove his innocence in a dramatic verbal duel. Vijay lets his eyes speak only.

Anju's Psychological Distress And A Plot Twist

In Drishyam 3, Anju's PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) has been rephrased as 'sexual aversion' to destroy her chances of getting married by Georgekutty's enemies. Deviating from familial ties, Hindi Drishyam primarily focuses on Vijay and his way of dealing with the threats from SP Rajveer Singh Tomar, Public Prosecutor Indrajith Shetty (Prakash Raj) and Meera Deshmukh.

Vijay In Courtroom, Georgekutty Outside Courtroom

In Hindi Drishyam, Vijay and his family face the heat of Public Prosecutor Indrajith Shetty's wrath as there is 'concrete' evidence against them. In Drishyam 3, Georgekutty meets his lawyer. She fights in the courtroom for her client, so that his daughter's marriage doesn't get disrupted. But Georgekutty is never seen inside the courtroom.

Father Turns Daughter Into A Victim By Using Violence

Jeetu Joseph's script invited polarised reactions as Georgekutty goes to extremes to save his daughter against the odds. He stages an act of violence with his daughter to send a rogue policeman behind bars.

When the situation goes out of his hand, Georgekutty wields his master power by turning his daughter into a victim, by stabbing her, by inflicting physical pain on her.

The Hindi film doesn't explore the familial ties. Instead, it capitalises on Vijay's Christian faith, the Church and the cinematic prop that ultimately saves him.

Drishyam is all about the mind's play of what is believed and what is believable, what is shown vs what is behind the curtain.

Trying to find coherence and logic in both films is like searching a pin in the sand. Drishyam, as a franchise, plays on cinematic liberties and demands willing suspension of disbelief from the audience to deliver the greater message about the art of cinema, the consumption of cinema and how the human mind formulates the creative process.

In a nutshell, we can say Drishyam The Conclusion and Drishyam 3 tread on a road not taken to make their distinct marks in the repertoire of cinema.

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