Drishyam 3 EXCLUSIVE: Abhishek Pathak on crafting Ajay Devgn’s thriller, says ‘If you don't get climax right, buildup can fall apart’
Drishyam: The Conclusion is the 3rd and final instalment in the Ajay Devgn starrer thriller franchise, directed by Abhishek Pathak.
Published on Oct 13, 2026 | 03:22 PM IST | 3K
(PC: Panorama Studios)
Drishyam: The Conclusion, starring Ajay Devgn in the lead role, is the latest instalment in the thriller drama franchise, putting an end to the story of Vijay Salgaonkar. Now, in an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, writer-director Abhishek Pathak opens up about creating the final instalment and what led him to keep his version separate from the Malayalam franchise.
Q. After Drishyam 1 and 2, what made you and the team realise that the third venture had to take an original route rather than becoming an adaptation?
Abhishek Pathak: Honestly, after Drishyam 2, I felt that if we were going to make a third film, we had to bring something new to the table. Drishyam is such a loved franchise, and the audience has become so intelligent now. They remember little details, clues, and dialogue. So, I knew we couldn't just repeat a formula and expect them to be surprised.
I decided early on that I wanted to tell this story my own way. The biggest challenge was figuring out how to take Vijay Salgaonkar's journey forward and give it an ending that people wouldn't see coming. We didn't even start writing the screenplay properly until we had cracked the ending.
For me, the idea was never to be different just for the sake of being different. It was about finding a story that felt right for these characters and gave the audience a genuinely new experience.
Q. As we go online, several people, including fans of the Malayalam version, are much more pleased with Drishyam: The Conclusion. What do you think factored into this?
Abhishek Pathak: What's been heartening is the response from audiences across languages, including people who have followed the Malayalam franchise closely. The Malayalam films have built a wonderful legacy, and we have always had enormous respect for that.
For us, the intention was to take the Hindi story forward in a way that felt organic to the characters and the world we had created over the first two films. We wanted to retain what people love about Drishyam, the suspense, the emotional relationships, and the little details that you may not have noticed immediately, but also give them something they couldn't anticipate.
Audiences know these characters so well that you can't take the easy route with them. You have to challenge yourself as a filmmaker because the audience is already trying to solve the mystery before you've revealed it on screen.
Each version of the franchise has its own creative journey, and the fact that people are discussing the twists and debating the ending is satisfying.
Q. Ajay Devgn and you have continued to deliver tremendous output with each collaboration. As Drishyam concludes, could there possibly be another project in the same realm of drama and thriller?
Abhishek Pathak: Ajay (Devgn) sir and I share a very good equation, and after working together on Drishyam, there's obviously a certain comfort and understanding between us. He's an incredible actor, but what I really appreciate is the way he approaches a character. He understands how much can be communicated without saying too much, and that's especially important in a film like Drishyam.
It would, of course, be great to work with him again. Whether it's a thriller, a drama, or something completely different, there's always the possibility of exploring something new together. The starting point has to be the story, something that excites both of us and makes us feel that we're doing something worthwhile.
Drishyam: The Conclusion was a very special journey, and I wanted to give this chapter a proper ending. So, I wouldn't want to immediately think of another film as a continuation of that success or try to recreate the same magic. I think it's important to let the story have its own journey.
Both of us will continue to discuss stories. If something comes along that we both genuinely believe in, the possibility of working together again is always there.
Q. From a serious writing perspective, how was the climax, the peak detailing of the film, materialised and executed, particularly while leaving the audience on the edge of their seats?
Abhishek Pathak: For me, the climax was the most important part of the film. With Drishyam, the audience comes in with certain expectations. They are constantly thinking ahead, trying to connect the dots and figure out what Vijay Salgaonkar is planning. So, if you don't get the climax right, the entire build-up can fall apart.
We actually started with the ending. We needed to know where the story was going before we could figure out how to take the audience there. Once we had that, we worked backwards and built the screenplay, making sure that even the smallest detail had a purpose. We kept asking ourselves whether the audience would be able to guess what was coming. If the answer was yes, we'd go back and rethink it.
We went through so many drafts in the process. We continued working on the film even during the edit. There were things we felt we could improve, moments where we needed to hold back information for a little longer, or reveal something differently so that the audience experienced it in the way we intended.
For me, suspense isn't just about having a big twist at the end. It's about controlling what the audience knows and when you choose to give them the next piece of information. You have to make sure that when the reveal finally comes, they can look back and realise that the clues were there all along, but they just didn't put them together. That's the real satisfaction of a thriller, and that's what we worked towards with Drishyam: The Conclusion.
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