Mollywood superstar Mohanlal is returning to theaters this Friday, May 21, 2026, with Drishyam 3, the latest chapter in one of Malayalam cinema’s most celebrated thriller franchises. Directed once again by Jeethu Joseph, the film arrives with huge expectations and simultaneous dubbed releases in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada, signaling an attempt to expand its reach well beyond Kerala.
But strangely, the film has not generated the kind of nationwide excitement usually associated with a franchise of this scale.
Just days before release, there is very little noise around Drishyam 3 outside Kerala. While the Malayalam audience is naturally aware of the film, the same cannot be said about moviegoers in other South markets. The promotional campaign has remained unusually muted, leaving even regular Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada audiences largely unaware of the film’s arrival.
The lack of momentum became more evident after the makers released a song recently. Under normal circumstances, content from a franchise like Drishyam would instantly dominate online discussions. Instead, the release passed with minimal attention, mainly because the promotional push has been extremely limited.
This silence feels even more surprising considering the current state of the South Indian box office. Compared to previous years, 2026 has largely been a dry season for theatrical business, with only a handful of films managing to create strong momentum. In such a situation, a franchise backed by immense audience goodwill could have easily been positioned as a major theatrical event through aggressive promotions.
The makers have already opened advance bookings and announced dubbed releases across multiple South languages, clearly indicating ambitions beyond the Malayalam market. However, the marketing strategy has not reflected that larger vision. Even the trailer release failed to create widespread discussion, resulting in unusually dull pre release momentum for a film carrying such a powerful brand name.
There is still a possibility that the team is intentionally keeping the campaign low key and relying on the film’s content to drive word of mouth after release. Thriller franchises sometimes benefit from controlled promotions to preserve suspense and curiosity.
However, if the subdued campaign is the result of uncertainty over the film’s content, then it could become a worrying sign for the makers and Pen Studios, which reportedly invested nearly Rs. 100 crore into the project.
Drishyam as a franchise still commands enormous trust among audiences, and strong word of mouth can change the entire conversation within hours of release. But as of now, for a film carrying this much legacy and anticipation, the lack of pre release buzz feels genuinely unexpected.