Drishyam The Conclusion Review: Rating, Audience Reaction & Box Office

The wait is finally over. Drishyam: The Conclusion opened in Indian cinemas on October 2, 2026, bringing Ajay Devgn back as Vijay Salgaonkar for what is being presented as the final chapter of the Hindi Drishyam franchise.

Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the crime thriller also stars Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj and Jaideep Ahlawat.

The movie has arrived with enormous expectations after the success of the first two films. Early reviews are now available, and the response is mixed but generally positive, while advance booking indicates strong audience interest.

What Is Drishyam: The Conclusion About?

The new film takes place after the events of Drishyam 2.

Vijay Salgaonkar and his family are still living under the shadow of the case that changed their lives. Although Vijay managed to stay ahead of the police previously, a new investigator enters the picture with fresh evidence.

Jaideep Ahlawat plays Rajveer Singh Tomar, the officer determined to reopen the case and challenge Vijay's carefully constructed version of events.

The result is another battle of intelligence between Vijay and the law — but this time the stakes are higher because the story is supposed to bring the franchise to its conclusion.

Ajay Devgn Remains the Heart of the Franchise

Ajay Devgn once again plays Vijay Salgaonkar with the controlled, almost emotionless style that has become synonymous with the character.

India Today praised Devgn's performance, particularly his ability to communicate Vijay's confidence and anxiety without relying on exaggerated dialogue or action.

The character remains unusual for a mainstream Hindi thriller.

Vijay is protecting his family, but the audience also knows that his family has been involved in a serious crime and that he has deliberately obstructed the investigation.

That moral contradiction remains one of the most interesting elements of the Drishyam franchise.

Jaideep Ahlawat Creates a New Opponent

The arrival of Jaideep Ahlawat gives the third film a new dynamic.

After the police characters from the previous chapters, Rajveer Tomar approaches Vijay's case with a different strategy.

Ahlawat brings a controlled intensity to the role, creating a confrontation in which both sides are constantly trying to predict the other's next move.

Early reviews have highlighted the chemistry between Devgn and Ahlawat as one of the film's strongest elements.

What Are Critics Saying?

The critical response is not completely uniform.

Filmfare has given the film 3.5/5, describing it as a suspenseful continuation with new twists. Its page also currently shows a 5/5 average user rating, although that early user sample should not be treated as a definitive audience score.

India Today called it a good thriller but argued that the finale does not quite deliver the grand farewell expected from the franchise.

Meanwhile, Moneycontrol praised the continuing tension and the performances of Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat, while noting that some of the explanations feel convenient.

So far, the early reviews suggest a film that remains entertaining and twist-driven, but there is disagreement over whether its conclusion matches the expectations created by the first two instalments.

Audience Reaction Is More Enthusiastic

Early audience reactions on social media have been noticeably enthusiastic.

Several first-day viewers have praised the film's climax, twists and performances, with Ajay Devgn and Jaideep Ahlawat receiving particular attention.

However, these are early social-media reactions rather than a final audience consensus.

The movie has only just opened, and audience sentiment can change considerably over the first weekend as a much larger number of viewers watch it.

Strong Advance Booking Before Release

The box-office story began strongly even before the first show.

According to Times of India, Drishyam: The Conclusion had generated around ₹51.44 crore in domestic advance bookings across six show dates, including blocked seats, as of late October 1. Without blocked seats, the figure was approximately ₹41.17 crore.

Day 1 alone accounted for roughly ₹28.11 crore in advance sales in that tracking update.

Earlier figures from Times of India had placed the extended opening-weekend advance booking at around ₹38 crore, showing how quickly ticket sales accelerated as the release approached.

Day 1 Box Office Is Still Developing

Because October 2 is still underway, the final Day 1 collection is not available yet.

Early tracking has already shown a strong start. NDTV Profit reported ₹2.85 crore net from 1,210 shows in its early-morning update, while noting that the figure was still developing.

Different trackers update at different times, so early numbers should not be presented as the final collection.

Trade projections before release had suggested the film could potentially cross ₹40 crore net on its opening day, but that remains a projection until the complete Day 1 figures are reported.

Is This the Same Story as Malayalam Drishyam 3?

No.

This is an important point for fans following both franchises.

Drishyam: The Conclusion is the Hindi franchise's own third chapter and takes a different narrative route from the Malayalam Drishyam 3 starring Mohanlal.

Filmfare also notes that the two films take different approaches to the continuation of the story.

Therefore, viewers should not expect the Hindi movie to simply reproduce the Malayalam film's storyline or ending.

The Biggest Question: Does the Ending Work?

For a movie called The Conclusion, the climax carries enormous weight.

The first two Drishyam films built their reputations around carefully constructed reveals and Vijay's ability to stay several steps ahead of the investigation.

India Today feels the new film has clever twists but that its final stretch does not reach the emotional impact expected from a definitive farewell.

Other reactions have been more enthusiastic, particularly about the climax.

This difference makes the ending one of the biggest discussion points among audiences today.

No OTT Release Date Yet

The film is currently playing exclusively in theatres, and no confirmed OTT release date has been announced.

Therefore, claims circulating online about a specific Netflix, Prime Video or other streaming date should be treated as unofficial unless confirmed by the relevant platform or producers.

For now, the theatrical run remains the focus.

Final Thoughts

Drishyam: The Conclusion has opened with exactly the kind of attention expected from the final chapter of one of Hindi cinema's most popular thriller franchises.

Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar, while Jaideep Ahlawat provides a new opponent in the form of Rajveer Singh Tomar. Early reviews have praised the performances, suspense and twists, although critics disagree over whether the climax delivers the powerful farewell the franchise deserved.

Filmfare has rated the film 3.5/5, while India Today's review is more reserved about the finale. Early audience reactions, meanwhile, have been largely enthusiastic about the climax and performances.

The box-office opening is also showing strong momentum. Advance sales had crossed ₹50 crore gross across multiple show dates before release according to one October 1 update, while Day 1 collections are still being tracked and remain subject to change.

It is therefore too early to declare the film a box-office success or failure.

What can be said today is that Vijay Salgaonkar's final game has started with strong audience curiosity, substantial advance sales and a divided-but-engaged critical response.

The bigger question will be answered over the weekend: whether Drishyam: The Conclusion can turn its strong opening and audience buzz into a long theatrical run — and whether viewers ultimately feel that Vijay's story received the ending it deserved.