Filmmaker Abhishek Pathak, who has written, produced, and directed Drishyam 3: The Conclusion, has opened up about the creative pressures of steering one of Hindi cinema's most beloved thriller franchises to its finale — and why he chose to break free from the remake mould entirely.

The Weight of Franchise History

Pathak acknowledged that the third instalment posed unique storytelling challenges, given how deeply audiences are invested in the world built across the first two films. 'It is a very complex and nuanced film because there is so much history behind every character,' he said. 'The audience already knows these people and what has happened in Part 1 and Part 2, so every little thing has a meaning.'

That accumulated history demanded meticulous attention during the writing process. 'Even while writing, we would keep going back to the earlier films, looking at a small dialogue or visual detail and seeing how we could bring it into this story,' Pathak explained. 'I was very conscious that this is Drishyam and people have a certain expectation from this world.'

Breaking Away from the Remake Tag

Unlike its two predecessors, Drishyam 3: The Conclusion is not narratively connected to the original Malayalam series — it features a fully original story. Pathak said that distinction was a deliberate, personal creative choice. 'I did not want to have the tag of a remake this time. Somewhere I felt that when you make something which is already there, people can overlook the craft that has gone into the Hindi version,' he said.

The director stressed that he wanted to give the franchise's closing chapter his own authorial stamp. 'I really wanted to write it my own way, take the story ahead in the way I wanted and make my own version of the last part,' he said.

Keeping the Audience Guessing

Pathak revealed that the writing process was driven by a constant internal challenge: ensuring the narrative stayed unpredictable. 'We were constantly fighting over the screenplay — if something felt predictable, we would say anyone can guess this, anyone can figure this out. That process helped us keep the story complicated without losing the audience,' he said.

He also underlined the importance of emotional continuity — making sure audiences feel the three films belong to the same universe. 'I wanted them to feel that nostalgia and feel that all the parts are connected,' he added.

What to Expect from Drishyam 3

Billed as a crime thriller and described by its makers as a conclusion to the franchise, Drishyam 3: The Conclusion is positioned as both a fan-service exercise and a standalone creative work. The film's approach — honouring franchise lore while charting a new original narrative — marks a notable departure from the template followed by its predecessors. Whether that gamble pays off at the box office will be closely watched by the Hindi film industry, which has seen franchise fatigue set in across several major series in recent years.