Ajay Devgn wanted Mohanlal's approval for Drishyam The Conclusion, says it 'beats 2': 'We should put a stop now'

For nearly a decade, Vijay Salgaonkar has managed to stay one step ahead of the police, the evidence and his audience. Now Ajay Devgn says it's time to close the case, and he's confident the franchise is going out at its peak.

Speaking with producer Alok Jain on Day 2 of FICCI Frames, the actor, as quoted by Indian Express, shared why Drishyam: The Conclusion will be the last Hindi film in the series. He also talked about the phone call he made to the man who first played the role, and why he thinks this ending tops everything that came before. The film opens in theatres, including across the UAE, on October 2.

When the moderator suggested that Mohanlal had reached out to him, Devgn set the record straight. He was the one who picked up the phone, hoping the Malayalam star would give the new film his blessing.

"In fact, I called up Lal (Mohanlal) sir, not him, because I wanted him to see the film. Like he (Alok Jain) said that they do such a great job, and this time we have diverted completely. So, for me, I thought that a kind of an approval from him would be nice. I wanted him to see the film but he is on a holiday. It is very sweet that he kept interacting. I think he is going to watch the film soon there."

Devgn didn't hedge on quality. He had watched the finished film only the day before the event, and his verdict was clear.

"It is the conclusion also because I feel that it is very difficult to write a Drishyam. We want to end it on a high, and the way the script has shaped up, the film has shaped up, I think we should put a stop right now. I saw the film yesterday, and my personal opinion is that it beats 2 (Drishyam 2)."

He said part of the reasoning is about respecting the audience's goodwill rather than testing it with a fourth outing: "It's always better to leave it on a higher note. I don't want the audience to feel, 'Okay, now they are making one more…' Maybe, we are not able to match up to their expectations."

This chapter also marks the biggest departure yet from the Malayalam source. Devgn noted that the Hindi version had already gone its own way in the second film, and the third goes further.

"The Hindi Drishyam, in 2, we diverted it a little. The original (Malayalam film) did not have Akshaye Khanna's character but 3 is a completely new script. These are two different films, and the way Abhishek and the writers have worked so hard on the script for the past nearly 2 years that it really gives you a high."

As for the man at the centre of it all, the 57-year-old said Vijay can't be reinvented because the story picks up exactly where it left off. What has changed is how he plays him.

"For the audience, the character cannot change too much but playing it becomes a little more different because years of experiences count and with age, there is a certain kind of calmness, and a certain kind of confidence."