“The past is never silent” is the tagline for this edition of Drishyam. As the film unfolds, we realise that the past being referred to here is not the events but the people. For a franchise like Drishyam, which is in the mystery thriller genre, the screenplay has to be well thought out. Jeethu Joseph, whose last two outings (Mirage and Valathu Vasathe Kallan) were average, proves once again that he is a past master at this. He picks up threads from the first two parts that can be exploited to create potential conflicts. One can argue that these threads are a bit far-fetched and convoluted. But then, even the first two parts had such convoluted, stretched-out ideas. They worked because the ideas were interesting, and the execution was even better. To a large extent, the same holds true for this part too.
Even without much happening, the first half holds your attention. George Kutty goes about his business, which has now evolved from being a cable operator in the 1st part to a theatre owner in the 2nd part, and to a small-time film producer in this part. The daughters have grown up. The elder daughter is now ready to get married. George Kutty and his wife begin looking for a suitable alliance within their Christian community. But at the last minute, the cases get dropped. Is this the past catching up? George Kutty believes so.
From here, the film is about how George Kutty navigates the everyday challenges that arise as he tries to get his daughter married, and whether he can still stay ahead of the law and the police. This required the screenplay and crucial plot points to be conceived intelligently, in ways viewers don’t see coming. Yes, the 180-degree swing a few characters take from Drishyam 1 to 3 may not seem organic. Yes, writing of some of the sequences feels very convenient and even dated. Yes, after being sedate for most of the stretch, the last few minutes leading to the climax seem to pack in so much that we can miss the details. Yes, the twists in the proceedings towards the end seem very forced. Yet I found Drishyam 3 very engaging. I kept looking for what George Kutty was up to next.
One of the key reasons for the success of the earlier Drishyam parts is how we are kept invested in George Kutty’s journey. That continues in this part as well. Jeethu deserves a lot of credit for making the entire country root for a character so deeply, though in different languages. Mohan Lal, who plays George Kutty, can now wake up from sleep and slip into the skin of George Kutty. He plays the role with such elan and class that he doesn’t make a single false step. The other family members continue from where they left off in the earlier parts. Another one to impress in this is Murali Gopy as the IG, with his poised acting. Siddique has a larger role in this, particularly in the second half, and, being a seasoned performer, he pulls off the transition in his character arc well.
One thing I was disappointed with was the film’s production values. I’m sure the film would have got the budget it needed, but the making doesn’t reflect that. Even the makeup of many of the artists lacked finesse.
Interestingly, Jeethu leaves a hook for Drishyam 4 as well. The question is, how far can one stretch the theme of the underdog staying ahead of the law and the police? Incidentally, the same question arose even after the successful 1st part, and after the 2nd part. But Jeethu did stretch the theme, and stretched it effectively. And going by the success of Drishyam 3, I am sure Jeethu Joseph will dig the fourth skeleton rabbit out of George Kutty’s hat!
My Flash Verdict: Drishyam 3 is out in theatres, and it is a must-watch!
AnandKumarRSonFilms 
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