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Drishyam 2

Drishyam 2 is a 2021 Indian Malayalam-language crime-thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It was produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas. A sequel to the 2013 film Drishyam and second instalment in the Drishyam franchise, the film stars Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Asha Sharath, Murali Gopy, and Siddique.

Plot
On 3 August 2013, a man named Jose George murders his brother-in-law and flees, briefly noticing Georgekutty near an under-construction police station before being arrested. By 2019, Georgekutty and his family are living a more prosperous life. He owns a cinema and aspires to produce a film, while his daughter Anju suffers from trauma related to Varun’s death. Rani befriends their neighbour Saritha, unaware that she and her abusive husband Sabu are undercover police officers assigned to reopen the case under Inspector general of police Thomas Bastin, a colleague of Geetha, Varun’s mother. After his release from prison, Jose recalls seeing Georgekutty at the unfinished police station and informs the police. Acting on this lead, the police excavate the station and recover a skeleton. Georgekutty, having monitored events through hidden cameras, surrenders. During interrogation, the family maintains their alibi, but a secretly recorded confession by Rani incriminates them. To protect his family, Georgekutty falsely confesses to the murder. At trial, Georgekutty pleads not guilty, claiming he has been framed using the plot of a novel titled Drishyam, written by prominent screenwriter Vinayachandran but based on his own story. When DNA tests reveal that the recovered remains are not Varun’s, it becomes evident that Georgekutty had anticipated the investigation and orchestrated a body swap to mislead authorities. With no conclusive evidence, he is granted bail, and the court orders a halt to further investigation. Later, it is revealed that Georgekutty had ensured Varun’s actual remains were anonymously returned to his parents for last rites. Acknowledging the impossibility of convicting him, the police abandon their pursuit, while Georgekutty continues to live under constant vigilance to protect his family. == Cast ==
Production
Development Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal were filming for Ram prior to the COVID-19 lockdown in India, however the shooting of the film was stalled as some sequences they want to film in foreign locations, such as London and Cairo. As the crew realised that the filming would take time to continue, Jeethu decided to start the works for Drishyam 2, a sequel to their 2013 film Drishyam which he had plans for some time. As the shooting of the film would only take place in Kerala, Jeethu realised it was most appropriate film to shoot after the lockdown ends. The film was officially announced by Mohanlal on his 60th birthday on 21 May 2020. It was intended to start filming soon after the government allows permission to begin film shootings. Mohanlal said during an interview that he has read the script, and shooting might begin after lockdown. Antony Perumbavoor who produced Drishyam returns as the producer. Jeethu said that it is a direct continuation of the last film and for that he has retained the principal characters along with some new additions in the secondary cast. In the turn of events, Georgekutty and his family now leads an affluent life and Georgekutty has opened a cinema theatre and is also planning to produce a film. Filming Principal photography began on 21 September 2020 in Kochi. It was conducted adhering to the safety precautions set for preventing COVID-19 spread. Indoor scenes were shot there. Filming was held in Kakkanad, Kochi. The same house in Vazhithala featured as Georegekutty and family's residence in Drishyam was used as the location for Drishyam 2, reportedly, an 18-day shoot was charted at the house. The house was renovated to reflect Georgekutty's present-day prosperity. Filming was also held at some other houses in Thodupuzha, and was also shot at nearby areas such as Kanjar and Arakkulam. An entire street was erected at the place, including Rajakkadu Police Station, Georgekutty's cable TV shop, and surrounding stores and structures, which was one of the main locations. Rajeev Kovilakathu was the art director. Following the portions at Kaipa Kavala, filming was concluded on 6 November 2020. The entire filming, which was scheduled to last for 56 days was completed in 46 days. A special team was designated to observe the film crew, including the director, were abiding the COVID-19 protocol. == Music ==
Music
The songs and the film score were composed by Anil Johnson, with lyrics by Vinayak Sasikumar. The music album consists of only one song titled "Ore Pakal" which was recorded by Zonobia Safar, and was released on 10 February 2021 by Saina Music. == Marketing and release ==
Marketing and release
Director Jeethu Joseph stated the plans for a theatrical release on 22 January 2021 before Mohanlal's big-budget film Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, citing that it is served to be a "litmus test in getting the audience back when theatres reopen". However, as the Kerala Film Chamber decided against reopening theatres since they demanded relief package from the government as theatre business took a severe hit following the coronavirus-induced lockdown and full exemption from entertainment tax, plans for the theatrical release had interrupted and the team opted for the digital streaming platform Amazon Prime Video to distribute the film. A teaser released on the occasion of New Year's Day, confirmed that it will release in Amazon Prime Video. The film's official trailer was supposed to be unveiled on 8 February 2021, however on 6 February (two days before the trailer release), the trailer was leaked online which resulted the team to release the trailer officially on the same day, also announcing the release date of 19 February 2021. However, Drishyam 2 was released worldwide on the midnight of 18 February 2021, and was made available for streaming in over 240 countries. The move for direct-to-digital release of Drishyam 2 met with criticism from theatre owners and distributors, with Liberty Basheer president of Kerala Film Exhibitors Federations, opined that "a prominent actor-like Mohanlal accepting this, is a selfish act" and opined that the film will easily bring "huge audience to movie theatres, being the sequel to one of the most successful films in the last decade". However, few trade analysts and members from the film circuit supported that "it is due to Anthony Perumbavoor's (the film producer) financial constraints. He had paid advance from theatre owners to screen Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, since it is a huge film and made for theatrical experience. But he did not pay advance from Drishyam 2, which is why he accepted for a digital release." In an online interaction with fans, prior to the film's release, Mohanlal stated that there are possibilities for a theatrical re-release. However, Kerala Film Chamber denied the producer's request for theatrical release of Drishyam 2 stating that they would not violate the guidelines by releasing a film in theatres, which is speculated for an online platform release. The film had a limited theatrical release in GCC countries from 1 July 2021, post its digital release. == Theatrical release ==
Theatrical release
The film had a theatrical release on 10 April 2026, several years after its original direct-to-video premiere. == Reception ==
Reception
Aishwarya Vasudevan of the Daily News and Analysis gave a 4 out of 5 star rating and wrote, "Drishyam 2 is a gripping tale of an investigation and a family which is threatened by it, is a must-watch sequel we didn't know we deserved and the film will make you think for hours after you completed watching it". Sanjith Sidhardhan of The Times of India gave a 4 out of 5 star rating, and stated "Jeethu's script for the sequel is tight as ever; like Drishyam ... the film is an expertly crafted sequel meant for the audience to enjoy and the team to be proud of", and also praised Mohanlal's acting. Haricharan Pudippedi of Hindustan Times wrote that "It's no exaggeration to call Drishyam 2 one of the best sequels ever", it is "a thoroughly gripping and entertaining sequel, a rare occurrence in Indian cinema. Powered by top class writing and plenty of unexpected twists, the sequel packs a solid punch and makes for a riveting watch right till the end. Drishyam 2 is a masterclass in suspense building and it works as effectively as the first part if not better". Rating 4 out of 5 stars, Sowmya Rajendran of The News Minute said that this "thriller is a superb sequel ... looking at the strength of the writing, it looks like in Jeethu's mind, Drishyam was always supposed to be two films". Rating 4 out of 5 stars, Suresh Mathew of The Quint said that "Mohanlal's gripping thriller is a winner again ... unlike the original, Drishyam 2 grips you from the very start ... Drishyam 2 is a worthy contender to the original. It grabs your attention from the word go and entertains you throughout its two-and-a-half-hour duration", he also praised Mohanlal's acting. Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost called it "a surprisingly satisfying sequel to a spectacular first film ... Drishyam 2 is clever in the way it smoothly slips back into the world of Drishyam ... it now feels as if Part 1 is incomplete without Part 2". Janaki K. of India Today called it "a fitting sequel to Drishyam" and stated "Jeethu Joseph’s staging and strengths to work on a solid script are the film’s assets ... Mohanlal is just excellent", rating 3.5 out of 5 stars. Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion called it a "solid sequel, which swaps tension with existentialism", with a "superb structure. Like Part 1, this is more a writer’s film than a director’s film", he praised the writing – "it’s basic exposition, scene after scene" and "the writing during the climactic portions treats Part 1/Part 2 of Drishyam as two halves of the same story. It’s a brilliant meta touch ... the film is at its best when we look at Part 1/Part 2 as one unified universe". Tina Sara Anien of Deccan Herald rated 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a thrilling, befitting sequel" and that "Drishyam 2 quashes the notion that sequels lack the magic of the originals ... not many thrillers have succeeded to impress an audience by intensifying the original's plot and that's the clinching proof of this film's special quality". Sajin Shrijith of The New Indian Express also rated 4 in a scale of 5, describing it as "a richer, expansive, and far superior sequel ... successful sequels are a rarity, and rarer still is a sequel that surpasses the original. Drishyam 2 is one such". Rating 4 out of 5 stars, Sify critic said "It is not always that a sequel lives up to the huge expectations of the highly successful original. Drishyam 2 does that in a brilliant way ... with an engaging script, Jeethu Joseph has presented the sequel in a gripping manner". Joginder Tuteja of Rediff.com said that "this Mohanlal suspense drama may well go down as yet another modern day classic ... this is a true sequel to Drishyam and is, in fact, the first ever suspense thriller to move from the first to the second part with a seamless ease", he rated 3.5 out of 5. Gautaman Bhaskaran of News18 wrote that "Mohanlal returns with more vigour and charisma ... Georgekutty is not a man to be cowed down, and the rest of the movie is an exciting game of how he foxes the cops and saves his family. The twist, in the end, is simply superb", he rated 3 out of 5 stars. Vipin Vijayan of Asianet News rated 4 out of 5 and called it a "perfect sequel" and that its "a must-watch for the sheer brilliance of Georgekutty aka Mohanlal and the marvellous script of Jeethu Joseph". Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave a 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "Mohanlal is flawless yet again ... in terms of structure and rhythm, writer-director Jeethu Joseph follows pretty much the arc of the original film", but felt "the writing could have done with more punch". S. R. Praveen of The Hindu opined, "Drishyam 2 might not work as a stand-alone film — as many sequels do — since it is completely dependent on the first film with constant references. But despite its negatives, it still is a decent companion piece to its much celebrated predecessor". However, Nirmal Narayanan of IB Times felt that it "failed to match the cinematic making quality of its ... the first half of the movie had its originality, but the second half of the film was a pure letdown, as it questioned the thinking capability", but he praised Mohanlal's acting. == Sequel ==
Sequel
After the release of Drishyam 2, producer Antony Perumbavoor commented that it is possible for a third film in the series, although Jeethu had neither confirmed nor denied it. Antony also said that Jeethu is researching on possible story arcs for Drishyam 3, and there had been discussions with Mohanlal. On 23 February 2021, Jeethu said in a press conference that he currently has figured out the climax for Drishyam 3, but the screenplay and production may take at least three years to materialise. On 20 February 2025, Drishyam 3 was officially announced. == Remakes ==
Remakes
The film was remade in Kannada as Drishya 2 and Telugu as Drushyam 2, both released in 2021. The Hindi remake of the same name was released in 2022. A Sinhalese remake titled Dharmayuddhaya 2 was released in 2026. == References ==
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