Mohanlal, fresh off Dadasaheb Phalke win, begins Drishyam 3 shoot with Jeethu Joseph who calls him 'born actor'

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who was just announced as the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, has more than one reason to celebrate. The veteran actor is preparing to return as Georgekutty — one of Indian cinema’s most iconic characters — in Jeethu Joseph’s much-anticipated Drishyam 3, which the director confirms is ready to go on floors.

Director Jeethu Joseph, the mind behind the thriller franchise that changed the language of suspense in Indian cinema, admits the weight of expectations is both a blessing and a curse.

“I cannot say it’s the best thing, but in a way, yes. I have done other films like Memories, Mummy & Me, and The Life of Josutty. But people only recognise me as the Drishyam director. One part of me enjoys it, another part is sad because everyone expects every film of mine to be like Drishyam,” Jeethu told Gulf News earlier this month.

Even when he veers into other genres, he says audiences refuse to let go of Georgekutty’s shadow.

“When I made a witty, humorous film, I kept saying during promotions it was purely comedy, no twists. Still, the audience expected one. That’s the weight of Drishyam on me.”

Now, the third chapter is poised to raise the stakes.

“The script is written. Drishyam 2 was totally different from the first part, and people loved that scripting pattern. Now they are expecting something even greater. Drishyam 3 is also totally different from one and two. There are some common elements across the trilogy, but the narrative pattern is different. We’ll most probably start rolling by September 22nd.”

At the heart of it all is Mohanlal, whom Jeethu describes as a once-in-a-generation talent.

“He’s a born actor. You give him anything, he’s like water — he will take the shape of that bottle. Of course, age limits certain roles, but otherwise, if the script is good, he will always deliver more than you expect.”

With the country’s top cinematic honour now in his hands, Mohanlal’s return to Georgekutty couldn’t be better timed. As Jeethu prepares to roll the cameras, all eyes will once again be on the small-town man who outsmarted the system — and on the star who continues to redefine Indian cinema.

Why Drishyam endures: At its core, the franchise taps into universal themes of fear, family, and survival. Georgekutty’s story resonates because it asks a simple yet profound question: how far will an ordinary man go to protect his loved ones? Layered with suspense, moral ambiguity, and unexpected twists, the films speak across cultures and languages, which explains why Drishyam has not only broken records in Malayalam cinema but also inspired multiple remakes across India and beyond.