Drishyam 3 Day 1 Box Office: ₹17.20 Crore Gross Opening — Second Biggest Malayalam Debut Ever

The third chapter of India's most celebrated thriller franchise made its theatrical debut on May 21, 2026 — Mohanlal's 66th birthday — and the response was nothing short of extraordinary. Drishyam 3 opened to ₹14.58 Crore Nett (₹17.20 Crore Gross) in India on its opening day, driven by approximately 5,600 shows and close to 9.7 lakh tickets sold across all platforms and territories.

The film stormed past Patriot to register the second-biggest opening day in the history of Malayalam cinema, with only Mohanlal's own L2: Empuraan — which amassed ₹67 Crore globally on its first day in 2025 — sitting above it.

How Does It Compare to Drishyam 1 & 2?

The growth of this franchise across three chapters is a story of staggering scale.

Drishyam (2013), made on a budget of just ₹3.5–5 Crore, became the first Malayalam film to cross ₹50 Crore at the box office and ran in theatres for over 150 days — but its opening day numbers were modest by today's standards, reflecting the market size of that era. It was a slow-burn blockbuster that built momentum week over week.

Drishyam 2 (2021), shot entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic, bypassed theatres entirely and was released directly on OTT via Amazon Prime Video. No theatrical Day 1 comparison is possible, but it went on to be hailed as one of the best sequels in Indian cinema, significantly amplifying the franchise's pan-India reach ahead of this third chapter.

Drishyam 3 is a different beast altogether. Final Day 1 advance bookings stood at ₹35.27 Crore gross worldwide, with Kerala leading the domestic charge at ₹8.52 Crore in pre-sales alone, followed by Karnataka (₹1.80 Crore) and Andhra Pradesh–Telangana (₹1.34 Crore). The franchise has grown from a sleeper word-of-mouth hit in 2013 to one of the highest pre-selling Malayalam films ever made — a leap that spans not just budgets and screens, but an entire generation of audience loyalty.

South India Leads the Charge

The film's heartland delivered in spectacular fashion. Kerala went into full celebration mode — Trivandrum recorded a jaw-dropping 86.6% occupancy, Thrissur followed at 86.5%, and Kochi roared at 69.5%. These near-sold-out runs on a working Thursday morning reflect a franchise that has deep emotional roots in its home state. Audiences rushed to theatres to avoid spoilers, a phenomenon unique to the Drishyam series.

Bengaluru emerged as the single highest-grossing city, pulling in ₹96 Lakhs gross from PVR INOX screens alone — powered by the city's large Malayalam-speaking diaspora and premium multiplex pricing. Chennai too punched well above its size, posting a strong 75.6% occupancy.

National Multiplex (PVR INOX) — Day 1 City Breakdown

The North-West Gap

Mumbai (30%), Delhi-NCR (30.9%), and Pune (25.9%) opened on a more conservative note at national multiplex chains. Because the Drishyam franchise has highly successful Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu remakes, the original Malayalam third chapter naturally faces a steeper climb in non-traditional territories. The Hindi remake starring Ajay Devgn is reportedly set for an October 2 release, meaning many North Indian audiences are likely waiting for that version.

Across PVR INOX screens nationally, the film recorded an overall occupancy of 41.9% — an excellent figure considering the language barrier in major Hindi-belt cities. The ₹2.92 Crore gross from PVR INOX alone on Day 1 represents just the multiplex chain component, with the bulk of the collection coming from single screens and regional circuits in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

Public Initial Response — Mixed but Buzzing

The audience response from early morning and first-day-first-show screenings has been decidedly mixed, though the buzz is undeniably massive. Critics praised Mohanlal for a compelling performance, particularly in emotionally charged scenes, with Meena and the younger cast members also acknowledged for strong contributions. The high-octane second half and a suspenseful stretch heading into the climax generated positive word-of-mouth from core fans.

However, several viewers offered a more cautious verdict — noting a slow first half, a decent interval point, and an engaging second half stretch, but feeling the climax loses impact compared to the sharp, shocking finales of the first two films. The general sentiment reflects admiration for Mohanlal and the production values, but divided opinions on whether the third chapter truly matches the brilliance that made the franchise iconic.

Ticketing momentum told a different story — post-release, BookMyShow recorded close to 38,000 tickets sold in a single hour, described as the highest post-release peak hourly figure among recent Malayalam releases. Audiences are clearly showing up regardless of the divided critical chatter.

Weekend Outlook

With positive word-of-mouth around the second half already circulating, Drishyam 3 is primed for a sharp weekend escalation. The South has given it a fortress-like foundation. If North and West India warm up through Friday evening and into Saturday, this thriller is firmly on course to shatter major box office milestones by Sunday night — and cement Georgekutty's legacy as one of Indian cinema's most enduring characters.