Drishyam 2 (2022) was released at a time when the theatrical business was still recovering from the after-effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. There was a widespread perception that only larger-than-life, spectacle-driven films could pull audiences to cinemas. Drishyam 2, however, had neither heavy VFX nor grand-scale mounting. What it did have was tremendous recall value and an extremely loyal fan following, which turned up in huge numbers for the sequel. The film opened at Rs. 15.38 crores and went on to collect a staggering Rs. 240.54 crores in its lifetime, taking the trade and industry by surprise. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, as part of the promotions of Drishyam The Conclusion, director Abhishek Pathak, who is also one of the film’s writers and producers, talked about Drishyam 2’s box office success and a lot more.
EXCLUSIVE: Abhishek Pathak on Drishyam The Conclusion’s Rs. 50 CRORE opening predictions: “I don’t want to hope anything”; promises a MASSY ride: “Whole idea is that single screens mein taaliyan aur seetiyan baje”
Abhishek Pathak said, “I remember I was in the last leg of post-production, around a month away from release. I was expecting a big number for sure. I asked dad (producer Kumar Mangat Pathak) what the breakeven number for the film was. Both of us predicted, ‘I have a hope that this film will cross the Rs. 200 crore mark’. Everybody was surprised because the COVID period had just got over and the theatrical business was still recovering.”
He continued, “However, I reasoned, ‘The series has a strong recall value. And looking at the kind of material we have on the edit right now, it’s going to go very big’. Hence, we had that confidence while making the film. And when people eventually turned up in such huge numbers in theatres and gave the film so much love, it was very heartening.”
The third and final part, Drishyam The Conclusion, releases on October 2, and many in the trade expect the film to take a massive opening, with some predicting a first day of around Rs. 50 crores. When asked about these expectations, Abhishek confessed, “I don’t want to hope for anything. I have numbers in my head and I’ll just keep them to myself. I just hope that people give us a lot more love because it’s the final part of the franchise.”
He added, “I want people to come and experience it in theatres because very few thrillers in this country offer the kind of feeling and experience that we have created with this film. At times, thrillers can be intense, but they can also make audiences feel laidback while watching them. I didn’t want to make a film that would bore the audience. I wanted to make a very massy thriller. The whole idea is that single screens mein taaliyan aur seetiyan baje.”
He continued, “I remember visiting Gaiety-Galaxy to watch Drishyam 2 with the audience. I was stunned because I saw reactions that I had never imagined I would get. I told myself, ‘Aisa reaction yahan pe aa raha hai toh bahut acchi baat hai’. People enjoy thrillers and the moment you give them a mass-appealing treatment, it really works with the audience.”
Lastly, we asked him about the screen count planned for Drishyam The Conclusion. Abhishek Pathak replied, “It’s going to be one of the biggest for Ajay Devgn sir. We are looking at a massive number.”
Also Read: Makers of Drishyam The Conclusion unveil ‘Muskura Do’ teaser, song sung by Lucky Ali
More Pages: Drishyam The Conclusion Box Office Collection
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