Mohanlal’s highly anticipated crime thriller, "Drishyam 3", has reportedly crossed the Rs 20-crore milestone in worldwide pre-sales ahead of its grand theatrical release on May 21, 2026. The numbers for the opening weekend alone are nearing 25 crore, as per some sources. And out of the total pre-sales, an impressive Rs 17.5 crore+ alone has been registered for Day 1.
Out of this, Kerala has roughly Rs 5.5 crore (and counting) for the opening day, marking it for the fifth-highest opening-day booking history in Kerala, with India total pre-sales reaching 9 crore.
Out of the worldwide total, the international markets have generated over $1 million, naturally from the GCC region, which accounts for over $430,000. The film has also reportedly sold over 3,34,000 tickets on BookMyShow, crossing Mohanlal's previous record holder "Patriot".
This trend indicates that "Drishyam 3" could end up with Rs 50 crore (or more) globally on Day 1 — impressive for an action-less crime thriller in Malayalam.
Historically, massive pre-sales in Malayalam cinema have been heavily dominated by Mohanlal's high-budget action extravaganzas like "Pulimurugan", "L2: Empuraan" and "Malaikottai Vaaliban". "Drishyam 3" is bucking this trend, proving that a high-concept thriller can generate massive commercial hype without relying on pure action.
While on "L2: Empuraan", much like how that movie capitalised on the success of "Lucifer", "Drishyam 3" is reaping the benefits of its two successful predecessors (the sequel a pandemic-era streaming success).
Having already established itself as an absolute powerhouse two days before release, "Drishyam 3" currently trails only the historic benchmark set by "L2: Empuraan".
What makes the release even more special is that May 21 is Mohanlal's 66th birthday. Will it be the perfect birthday gift for the celebrated superstar? Let's wait and see.
