‘Drishyam 3’ won’t follow the usual formula: Jeethu Joseph

After the massive success of ‘Drishyam’, director Jeethu Joseph was quickly tagged as a thriller filmmaker — a label he never wanted. Speaking at the Manorama News Conclave, he admitted that the pressure to deliver a trademark “climax twist” had become a burden, and repeating the same pattern of storytelling had left him exhausted.

Jeethu revealed that ‘Drishyam 3’ will not follow the same formula. He explained that his interest has always been in making different kinds of films. His debut was an investigation story, followed by lighter dramas like ‘Mummy & Me’ and ‘My Boss’. But after ‘Memories’ and the success of ‘Drishyam’, he found himself typecast. According to him, producers usually chase what works at the box office, but too much of one genre — whether comedy or thriller — can bore audiences. What truly matters, he said, is whether a film makes viewers feel something: laugh, cry, or be moved.

He clarified that ‘Drishyam 3’ was not made for money. After the first film, he thought the story had ended, but years of requests for a sequel eventually led to ‘Drishyam 2’. Even then, he only began shaping a third part after stumbling upon an ending he believed was right for Georgekutty’s family. “It carries risks,” he admitted, “but this was the direction the story naturally had to take.”

Still, the director is frustrated with the expectations placed on him. For ‘Drishyam 3’, he said he had to write nearly ten extra pages to make the logic airtight. The same happened with films like ‘Thambi’, where even the actors insisted that logic was non-negotiable simply because it was his script. His assistants now have the task of combing through every draft to check for loopholes. “When I watch other films, I see gaps all the time. But logic seems to be demanded only in mine,” he said.
As for the future, Jeethu admitted he does not know if there will be a ‘Drishyam 4’. For now, he wants to break free of repetition and explore new stories, even if that means facing failures.