In the Drishyam universe - where secrets are the lifeblood - Victory Venkatesh's biggest secret may well be how on earth he's going to get a third installment filmed before the whole plot leaks all over the internet. While Mohanlal and director Jeethu Joseph have finished off the Malayalam original ready for a massive April 2, 2026 theatrical debut - the Telugu remake, on the other hand, is stuck in a holding pattern - a "scheduling graveyard" essentially. And with the Malayalam version reportedly raking in ₹130 crore in OTT rights, the window to keep those trademark plot twists under wraps is fast getting slammed shut.
The problem isn't a lack of people interested - the issue is a blockage in the calendar rather. Venkatesh is completely committed to his forthcoming collaboration with Trivikram Srinivas called "Adarsha Kutumbam (AK47)" which is set for a late Summer 2026 release. But he's got an even bigger fish to fry with his next project: a massive team-up with hit-maker Anil Ravipudi. That project - featuring an exciting cast including Fahadh Faasil and Keerthy Suresh - is already pencilled in for Sankranti 2027. Between a family drama from Trivikram and a comedy-thriller from Ravipudi - Victory Venkatesh is currently pretty much booked up until at least mid-2027.
Producer Suresh Babu is saying the right things in public - he's stressing that the "Drishyam" brand is something they won't just abandon - but to be blunt, in the world of the film trade, the reality is harsher than that. By the time Venkatesh has a spare moment to step back into a police station, the Mohanlal original will have been available on JioHotstar for nearly 6 months. And in 2026 - where 'spoiler culture' is a 24/7 business on social media - the "wow factor" that made the first two films such a huge hit will have largely dissipated.
If Suresh Productions doesn't find a way to "fast-track" this remake by late 2026, then Drishyam 3 in Telugu is in real danger of becoming a bit of a waste of time - a remake of a story that everyone already knows the ending to. And for a franchise built on keeping ahead of the law, the Telugu camp is currently three steps behind the calendar.