Drishyam 3 second-highest Mollywood opening

Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 has started its theatrical run with a reported Rs 43.37 crore worldwide gross on May 21, according to trade data cited by Indian entertainment outlets. That figure put the Jeethu Joseph-directed film in second place among Malayalam cinema openings, behind only L2: Empuraan, according to Mid-day and other reports. The film opened on Mohanlal’s 66th birthday after a release-date shift from April to May. Social-media posts on X also circulated the same ranking on May 22, while fan reaction focused heavily on Mohanlal’s return as Georgekutty. ### How big was the opening, exactly? Cinema Express reported on May 22 that Drishyam 3 grossed Rs 43.37 crore worldwide on its opening day, citing industry tracker Sacnilk. The outlet said that total included about Rs 18.37 crore gross from India and Rs 25 crore from overseas markets. The same report said the film had earned around Rs 35 crore worldwide in pre-sales before release. (cinemaexpress.com) The Times of India reported the same worldwide total and said the film collected Rs 15.85 crore net in India across 5,506 shows on day one. Its report said the Malayalam version accounted for the largest share of the domestic business, with Kerala alone contributing Rs 11.15 crore gross. (cinemaexpress.com) ### Which film is still ahead of it? Mid-day reported on May 22 that Drishyam 3 became the second-biggest Malayalam opener after L2: Empuraan. That ranking matches the social-media claim referenced in the original X post and gives the film a clear place within recent Mollywood box-office history. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Indian trade coverage did not, in the material reviewed, give a new audited comparative table for all-time Malayalam openings. But multiple reports published on May 22 repeated the same placement for Drishyam 3, with L2: Empuraan remaining the benchmark above it. (mid-day.com) ### Why did the release land on May 21? Pinkvilla reported that Drishyam 3 had originally been scheduled for April 2, 2026, before moving to May 21, 2026. The outlet said Mohanlal announced the revised date on social media and tied the opening to his 66th birthday. (mid-day.com) The release-date shift mattered commercially because it concentrated attention around a major star event. Mid-day and Cinema Express both noted that the film hit theatres on Mohanlal’s birthday, with wide India and overseas distribution backing the launch. (pinkvilla.com) ### What are audiences and reviewers saying about Mohanlal? Cinema Express reported that audience response was mixed overall but said some viewers described the film as satisfying because of Mohanlal’s lead performance, the plot and the climax. The report also said others criticized the pacing and called parts of the storytelling dated. (mid-day.com) The Times of India’s review gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and said the later portions delivered tension and emotional payoff associated with the franchise, while also criticizing the pacing earlier in the film. That split helps explain why online discussion has centered less on unanimous reviews than on Mohanlal’s performance as Georgekutty. (cinemaexpress.com) ### What should readers watch next? Sacnilk-based box-office updates are likely to shape the next phase of the story as the first weekend continues. India Today said on May 22 that the makers were expecting a strong first weekend, with the Malayalam version leading and dubbed Telugu and Tamil versions also contributing. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) May 23 through May 25 will determine whether Drishyam 3 sustains the pace implied by its opening-day number. Weekend totals from Sacnilk, along with follow-up reports from Cinema Express, Mid-day and The Times of India, are the next published markers to watch. (cinemaexpress.com) (indiatoday.in)