- Mammootty was the first choice for Georgekutty in Drishyam
- Mammootty suggested waiting or casting someone else for the role
- Mohanlal took the role of Georgekutty and made Drishyam a celebrated Indian thriller franchise
It is almost impossible to imagine Drishyam without Mohanlal. But in a surprising twist, the role that went on to define the blockbuster franchise was never meant for him in the first place.
Speaking in an earlier interview, director Jeethu Joseph explained that Mammootty was the first choice for the role of Georgekutty.
"It wasn't that Mammootty didn't like the story of Drishyam. When I first narrated it, he was very happy and called it terrific. However, at that time, he had already committed to four or five films where he played a father and family man. Since he didn't want to do films of the same pattern back-to-back, he suggested that I either wait for one and a half to two years or proceed with someone else," Media One quoted the director as saying.
That opened the door for Mohanlal, who stepped into the role and transformed Georgekutty into a cultural phenomenon, making Drishyam one of Indian cinema's most celebrated thriller franchises.
Drishyam 3 Box Office
Drishyam 3 is inching closer to the Rs 70 crore mark at the box office. The film witnessed slight growth in collections on its first Sunday.
The crime thriller managed to collect Rs 13.95 crore on Day 4, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. Of this, Rs 11.75 crore came from Malayalam screenings, while Telugu shows contributed Rs 1.20 crore. Tamil screenings added Rs 65 lakh, and Kannada shows accounted for Rs 3.5 lakh.
So far, Drishyam 3 has amassed gross collections of Rs 63.34 crore and total India net collections of Rs 54.55 crore.
Overseas, Drishyam 3 collected Rs 13 crore on Day 4, taking its total overseas gross to Rs 78 crore so far. This pushes the worldwide gross collection to Rs 141.34 crore.
Written and directed by Jeethu Joseph, Drishyam 3 is the third instalment in the globally successful franchise, set after the events of Drishyam and Drishyam 2. The plot is set a few years after the events of the second film.
ALSO READ: Drishyam 3 Review: A Mohanlal Show All The Way, But Jeethu Joseph's Screenplay Is A Let-Down