Why Drishyam: The Conclusion's Screenwriter Wrote 100 Versions Of Film

Aamil Keeyan Khan revealed that developing the screenplay involved more than 100 drafts and that the climax was kept strictly confidential during production.

05 Oct 2026, 08:08 · NDTV

Show
Quick Read
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed

Aamil Keeyan Khan revealed that developing the screenplay involved more than 100 drafts.
He also shared that the climax was kept strictly confidential during production.
Drishyam: The Conclusion has crossed Rs 272.80 crore worldwide in just three days of its releas

Is this really the final film in the franchise?

Ajay Devgn's much-awaited Drishyam: The Conclusion is enjoying a strong run at the box office. After the success of the first two films, the third and final chapter of the crime thriller has kept audiences hooked, with its twists and climax becoming a major talking point.

Amid the buzz around the film, screenwriter Aamil Keeyan Khan revealed that developing the screenplay involved more than 100 drafts and that the climax was kept strictly confidential during production.

Drishyam 3 Took More Than 100 Drafts

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Khan, who co-wrote the film with director Abhishek Pathak and Parveez Shaikh, said that the screenplay went through an extensive rewriting process. The writer said he eventually lost count of the exact number of drafts he worked on.

“I have folders inside folders, drafts with dates, numbers, dates after numbers, and files called things like ‘FINAL', ‘FINAL 2', ‘FINAL FINAL' and presumably ‘FINAL PLEASE GOD'. I have genuinely lost count, but well over a hundred drafts in different forms. Easily,” he said.

Climax Was Shared On A Need-To-Know Basis

The makers also took strict measures to prevent the film's major twists from being leaked. Khan revealed that some departments were told only what was required to execute a particular scene, without being given the complete context.

“Abhishek basically ran the production like Vijay Salgaonkar would. The climax wasn't given to a large part of the crew. People got information on a need-to-know basis,” he said.

Khan added, “Sometimes a department only knew what it needed to execute a scene, not necessarily why it was executing it. A lot of actors and crew from the film, and my own friends and relatives, tried to bribe me for the ending. But like Gaitonde, I remained honest and loyal to the producers.”

Writing Drishyam 3 Was A Major Challenge

Khan further said that one of the biggest challenges was creating an original story while retaining the elements that audiences associate with the Drishyam franchise.

“It was an enormous mountain to climb. You have a beloved franchise, a family that the audiences have lived with for years, and the legacy of two hugely loved films sitting on your shoulders. And most importantly, how do you surprise an audience for the third time?” he said.

The writer explained that audiences already know Vijay Salgaonkar and are familiar with his way of thinking, making it harder to balance humour, family, emotion, drama and thrills without allowing any one element to dominate the story.

He said, “In the first film, Vijay Salgaonkar is almost a blank slate. Now the audience knows him. They know how his mind works; they know he has tricks up his sleeve, and frankly, they're suspicious of everything the poor man does.”

“Then there was the challenge of writing an original screenplay while retaining the DNA of ‘Drishyam'. It still had to have humour, family, emotion, drama and thrills without any one ingredient swallowing the others. It was a very, very thin tightrope. Thankfully, none of us looked down,” he concluded.

What We Know About Drishyam 3: The Conclusion

Helmed by Abhishek Pathak, Drishyam: The Conclusion marks the third and final instalment in the Drishyam film franchise. The Hindi thriller has been produced by Star Studio18 and Panorama Studios. It stars Ajay Devgn, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Rajat Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav in the lead roles.

The two installments of the Drishyam franchise emerged as a massive blockbuster, collecting around Rs 110 crore and Rs 345 crore worldwide, respectively.

The latest installment, Drishyam 3, has also been enjoying a successful run at the box office. According to Sacnilk, the film has crossed Rs 272.80 crore worldwide in just three days of its release.

Also Read: Drishyam 3 Box Office Collection Day 3: Ajay Devgn's Juggernaut Is Second Highest Weekend Opener With Rs 176 Crore In India

Got a follow‑up question on this article? Go on

How may i help you today

Show full article

Entertainment I Read Latest News on NDTV Entertainment. Click NDTV Entertainment For The Latest In, bollywood , regional, hollywood, tv, web series, photos, videos and More.