Drishyam 3 Buzz: Esther Anil Says Venkatesh Couldn’t Recreate Mohanlal’s Expressions

Actress Esther Anil has shared a fascinating story from the sets of the Telugu 'Drishyam' remake. She revealed that superstar Venkatesh admitted he couldn't copy a specific expression of Mohanlal's from a key scene in the original film.

Everyone in Malayalam cinema is waiting with bated breath for 'Drishyam 3', the next film in the Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph blockbuster franchise. The film is slated to hit theatres on May 21, and fans are wondering if it will smash all existing box office records. The original 'Drishyam' was so popular that it was remade in Hindi with Ajay Devgn, in Tamil with Kamal Haasan, and in Telugu with Venkatesh. Now, actress Esther Anil, who plays Mohanlal's daughter, has shared a story about the first film's police station scene that has everyone talking.

Esther revealed that when they were shooting the Telugu remake, Venkatesh couldn't bring himself to replicate one of Mohanlal's iconic expressions. "There's a scene during the interrogation where Sahadevan comes and kicks him. His wife and daughters are standing on the other side, looking worried. After getting kicked, he looks at them and gives a small smile, as if to say everything is okay. It was heartbreaking, a very difficult shot. It's a single shot, and he doesn't do much, but it's so powerful," Esther said.

She added, "The reason I remember this so clearly is because when we were remaking this in Telugu, with Sripriya ma'am directing, she explained the shot to Venkatesh. At that time, Venky uncle said, 'Amma, adhu panna mudiyadhu, adhu Mohanlal-ku mattume panna mudiyum' (Ma'am, that can't be done, only Mohanlal can do that)."

Meanwhile, the buzz for 'Drishyam 3' is growing, with the film set for a May 21 release and its teaser expected to drop this evening. The original cast, including Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Kalabhavan Shajon, Irshad, and Ganesh Kumar, will be returning. The film is produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the Aashirvaad Cinemas banner. On a related note, the Hindi version of the film is scheduled for release on October 2, 2026.