Entertainment
oi-Prakash KL
Drishyam 3 has opened to a thunderous response at the worldwide box office, brushing aside mixed critical reception and proving once again the immense pulling power of Mohanlal among family audiences and thriller lovers. The Malayalam blockbuster has emerged as one of the biggest openers in Mollywood history, registering sensational numbers both in India and overseas on its first day.
The film collected an impressive ₹15.85 crore net in India on Day 1 across 5,506 shows, recording an overall occupancy of 51.3 per cent. With taxes included, the India gross collection stood at ₹18.37 crore. Overseas markets contributed a staggering ₹25 crore gross, taking the film’s total worldwide gross to ₹43.37 crore on its opening day itself.
Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 debuted strongly worldwide, grossing ₹43.37 crore on Day 1, including ₹18.37 crore gross in India and ₹25 crore from overseas markets, driven by robust audience turnout despite mixed critical reviews.
While reviews have been mixed compared to the near-universal acclaim received by the earlier instalments, audiences have still flocked to theatres in massive numbers, especially in Kerala and major South Indian centres. The franchise value of the Drishyam series, combined with Mohanlal’s popularity, has clearly translated into exceptional box office momentum.
| Day | India Net | Shows | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (1st Thursday) | ₹15.85 Cr | 5,506 | 51.3% |
Kerala continued to dominate the collections chart, contributing ₹11.15 crore gross out of the total India gross of ₹18.37 crore. Karnataka emerged as the second biggest market with ₹2.65 crore, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with ₹2 crore. Tamil Nadu too posted healthy numbers with ₹1.25 crore.
State-wise Gross Collections
| Region | Gross Collection |
|---|---|
| Kerala | ₹11.15 Cr |
| Karnataka | ₹2.65 Cr |
| APTG | ₹2.00 Cr |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹1.25 Cr |
| Rest of India | ₹1.32 Cr |
| Total | ₹18.37 Cr |
Among the key centres, Kochi led the occupancy charts with a phenomenal 95.5 per cent overall occupancy. Kottayam followed closely with 93.3 per cent, while Kozhikode, Kollam and Thrissur also recorded extraordinary occupancy figures above 88 per cent. These numbers indicate that the film has struck a strong chord with Kerala audiences despite divided reviews.
| Region | Shows | Overall Occupancy |
|---|---|---|
| Kochi | 242 | 95.5% |
| Kottayam | 27 | 93.3% |
| Kozhikode | 119 | 90.5% |
| Kollam | 78 | 89.5% |
| Thrissur | 101 | 88.0% |
| Trivandrum | 288 | 78.8% |
| Chennai | 105 | 63.5% |
| Bengaluru | 411 | 49.5% |
| Hyderabad | 102 | 25.0% |
| Mumbai | 204 | 23.8% |
| NCR | 117 | 20.0% |
Interestingly, Chennai and Bengaluru also posted encouraging occupancies, especially for night shows, suggesting that word-of-mouth among urban audiences could improve over the weekend. In Chennai, the night occupancy touched an excellent 85 per cent, while Bengaluru reached 65 per cent during the final shows of the day.
The overseas market has once again played a huge role in elevating the film’s global standing. With ₹25 crore gross already in the kitty from international territories, Drishyam 3 is expected to race past several milestones within its opening weekend.
With strong franchise recall, weekend momentum and family audience support, the Mohanlal-starrer now looks set for a long and profitable theatrical run despite the mixed critical response.
