Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam 3 vs Drishyam 2 vs Drishyam 1: 11 things that changed in 11 years

’s Drishyam franchise has come a long way since the first film arrived in 2015. From Vijay Salgaonkar’s family and his simple cable operator life to a much bigger battle with the law, the story has changed majorly over the years. Drishyam 3 was released on October 2 this year and is currently making waves at the box office. As the latest chapter continues to draw audiences, here are 11 things that have changed across the three films.

In Drishyam, Vijay Salgaonkar was a simple cable operator who loved watching films and spending time with his family. By Drishyam 2, he had become a successful businessman. In Drishyam 3, his life is once again caught up in the consequences of the events that began years ago.

Drishyam 1 and 2 were highly faithful remakes of the Malayalam films. However, Drishyam 3 completely breaks away, utilising a 100% original Hindi storyline that follows a different, unpredictable path.

From Local Cops to Top-Tier Minds: Vijay’s legal battle began locally with the ruthless Inspector Gaitonde. It escalated to IG Meera Deshmukh (Part 1), IG Tarun Ahlawat (Part 2), and ultimately reached a pinnacle with a sharp new investigation spearheaded by Jaideep Ahlawat's character (Part 3).

From Protective Unity to Severe PTSD: In Drishyam 1, the family stands united in the immediate aftermath of the cover-up. Over the next decade, the long-term trauma fractures them, with elder daughter, Anju, suffering from severe panic attacks and psychiatric instability.

From Cable Operator to Cinema Owner: In the first film, Vijay is a middle-class cable TV operator. By the second and third films, he is a wealthy entrepreneur owning a thriving cinema hall and actively producing movies.

Drishyam 1 was directed by Nishikant Kamat, whereas both Drishyam 2 and the finale Drishyam 3: The Conclusion were directed by Abhishek Pathak.

While Drishyam 1 and 2 focused on IG Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) and the introduction of Tarun Ahlawat/IG Tarun/Akshaye Khanna's character elements, Drishyam 3 adds powerhouse actors like Jaideep Ahlawat and Prakash Raj alongside returning members

According to early estimates by Sacnilk, Ajay Devgn’s Drishyam: The Conclusion has earned around ₹95 crore globally at the box office. With this opening, the Hindi film has recorded a higher worldwide gross than Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3, which released earlier in 2026.

From Open-Ended to Definitively Finished: While the Malayalam series has left open doors for character arcs, Ajay Devgn confirmed that the Hindi franchise ends definitively with Drishyam 3, giving a concrete conclusion to Vijay Salgaonkar's timeline.