'Drishyam 3': A historic farewell marked by a record-breaking opening.

Vijay Salgaonkar’s story may be nearing its end, but the audience's frenzy surrounding him has not waned in the slightest. In fact, this final chapter of the ‘Drishyam’ franchise has launched on an even grander scale than the previous two installments. On its opening day—October 2, the Gandhi Jayanti holiday—the Ajay Devgn-starrer ‘Drishyam 3: The Conclusion’ achieved a new milestone by grossing ₹95.10 crore worldwide.

Best Opening of Ajay’s Career
On day one, the film’s net domestic collection stood at ₹66.75 crore (gross ₹80.10 crore), with an additional ₹15 crore coming from overseas markets. With this, Ajay Devgn set a record for the best opening of his career. Previously, his highest opening collection was for the 2024 film ‘Singham Again’ (₹43.50 crore). The film also far surpassed the opening figures of ‘Singham Returns’ (₹32.10 crore), ‘Golmaal Again’ (₹30.15 crore), and ‘Raid 2’ (₹19.25 crore).

Surpassed ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Animal’
The film has not only broken Ajay’s personal records but has also secured a top spot among the biggest openings for Hindi cinema in recent times. In terms of day-one business, it outperformed blockbusters like Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathaan’ (₹57 crore) and Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Animal’ (₹63 crore). Although it did not claim the title of the all-time highest opener, the film has established a formidable foothold for Bollywood in the current landscape.

Advance Ticket Sales Defied Predictions
Advance ticket sales, which began on September 27, hinted at a massive opening even before the film’s release. Pre-booking revenue alone crossed the ₹50 crore mark, with over 1.3 million tickets sold.

While trade analysts had initially projected earnings in the range of ₹25 to ₹30 crore, the overwhelming audience turnout completely rewrote the calculations. Across the country, the film saw an average occupancy of 67.08% across more than 15,759 shows (peaking at 76.46% during night screenings). Grossing ₹66.75 crore on its opening day, the film performed more than twice as well as initial projections.

From ₹5 Crore to ₹66 Crore in a Decade: The Reign of ‘Drishyam’
‘Drishyam’ debuted in 2015 with an opening collection of just ₹5.85 crore, eventually grossing ₹110 crore worldwide driven by strong word-of-mouth. In 2022, ‘Drishyam 2’ opened with ₹15.38 crore (totaling ₹342 crore). Now, the opening day collection of the third installment is 11 times that of the first and over four times that of the second. These figures demonstrate how a modest film can evolve into a beloved franchise over a decade.

Vijay’s Ultimate Game of Wits
Vijay’s greatest strength lies not in weaponry, but in knowledge gained from movies, a flawless alibi, and the intellect to stay one step ahead of criminal investigators. This time, Vijay faces a new SP, Rajbir Singh Tomar (Jaideep Ahlawat), while Meera Deshmukh (Tabu) stands ready to settle old scores. Directed by Abhishek Pathak, the film features Ajay and Tabu alongside Shriya Saran, Ishita Dutta, Mrunal Jadhav, and Prakash Raj.

Critical Reception
Beyond its box-office success, the film has garnered praise from critics:

Indian Express: Commended the performances of Ajay and Tabu, as well as Ajay’s restrained screen presence. 

Times of India (3.5/5): Noted that while maintaining a familiar structure, the film adds new dimensions to the story through gripping suspense and the introduction of a new police officer. 

Pinkvilla: Specifically lauded the thrill of the final 30 minutes and Ajay’s performance.

However, there has been criticism regarding the excessive use of background music and the unnecessarily prolonged nature of certain scenes. After a staggering global opening-day collection of ₹951 crore, the real test lay in the business generated over the weekend and the first week. The journey that began ten years ago with ₹5.85 crore has, in its final chapter, touched the ₹66.75 crore mark on the very first day. Now, it remains to be seen just how far the emotions of movie lovers surrounding this saga will carry it, even as the curtain falls on its triumphant run.