Review of 'Drishyam: Conclusion': Tense Plot, But Lack of Novelty

The film 'Mirzapur', based on a television series of the same name, presents a sequence of violence, greed, and shifting loyalties. The main characters strive to dominate the underground drug business, and the picture contains an element of sexual subtext, making it a film strictly for adults.

Brutal Spectacle

Director Gurmit Singh, with a significant budget, successfully transfers the dark atmosphere of the series to the big screen. Pankaj Tripathi easily takes center stage as the calculating boss of the Kalin Bhaiyya gang, using his restrained threatening remarks.

Ali Fazal, who plays Guddu Pandit, and Ravi Kishan demonstrate mastery in their violent attempts to seize power while maintaining romantic attachment to their loved ones. The overall runtime of the film, exceeding three hours, could have been significantly shorter if the rather absurd comedic subplot introduced towards the end had been excluded.

Overall, 'Mirzapur' is a loud, aggressive, and uncompromising event for the big screen. Although it does not fully adhere to the strict narrative control of its streaming service source material, it possesses enough spectacle and star power to satisfy fans craving cinematic chaos.

Some films gain enormous popularity due to the hype surrounding one star and their aura. A recent example is Yash's film 'Toxic,' which grossed 100 million thanks to his star status. Furthermore, a few months ago, Peddi Rama Charan's film also managed to create excitement among viewers. The popularity of South Indian cinema is now strong in the north as well, allowing 'Toxic' and 'Peddi' to collect significant revenue in their first week of release across all of India. However, after reviews for these films were released, box office collections began to decline.

Many viewers called 'Toxic' and 'Peddi' a headache because both films sparked controversy regarding their plots. Now, another star from South Indian cinema, Naani, has presented his pan-Indian film 'Paradise.' Although no trailer was released before the film's premiere, there was still buzz around it because everyone liked the songs and the actors' performances. After the film's premiere, it became possible to assess its merits and flaws.

'Paradise' is a place located in Sikanderabad, Andhra Pradesh, in the 1980s. Since gaining independence, the backward community there has been fighting for recognition of its identity. They are dominated by a man named Malik (Mohan Babu), who subjects them to tyranny. He does not want the residents of the settlement 'Paradise' to gain recognition. They are forced to live in extremely inhumane conditions, suffering from food shortages, lack of stable income, and inability to live according to their will. Jadal (Naani) and his mother Shamka (Sonali Kulkarani) live in this very settlement. Shamka endures any hardship to raise her son.

Jadal grows up and begins to fight for the recognition of his community. He becomes their leader, coming into conflict with Malik and his son Vikram (Ragav Juyal). Jadal is seen as the only person among his community members capable of freeing them from years of oppression and exploitation. As in similar stories, there comes a moment when Jadal realizes his life's purpose and decides to fight for his people. Will Jadal be able to eliminate Vikram and Malik to make the residents of the settlement 'Paradise' citizens of the country? This is part of the film's plot.

The film's plot is structured in chapters, similar to the style of 'Dhurandar,' but director Shrikant Odela's attempt proved unsuccessful. His story seems disjointed. Although each chapter was intended to simplify the understanding of the story, it feels more like a chaotic wandering. It gave the impression that some moments were introduced merely to attract audience attention. The film also tried to incorporate typical elements of the southern masala.

The excessive use of slow motion, violence scenes, loud action sequences, and overly dramatic moments make the picture quite 'toxic.' At some point, there is a feeling of a headache: what exactly does director Shrikant Odela want to show? The emotions of the mother and son, the struggle for the recognition of the settlement's residents, or the feud with the villain? By including so many storylines in one story, the director only confused the viewer. At one moment, it seems the film is finished, but then a twist appears that drags the narrative further. One can admit that his intention was to create an entire world, but a world with such a weak villain and lack of purpose cannot be engaging to watch.

Even Aniruddha could not save Naani's film. Music director Aniruddha Ravichander was the main trump card of this film. The songs in 'Paradise' caused a sensation on social media; whether it was Naani's hook step or the song Yeshnagula Kirti Suresh, they contributed greatly to increasing interest in the film. However, this was not enough to elevate the film to the level Aniruddha is capable of achieving alone. His soundtrack this time also failed to meet expectations, although Aniruddha is known for his mastery in this field.

The strength of the acting saved the film. Besides the plot and script, only the acting was good. Naani, who is called a 'natural star' in Telugu cinema, carried the film on her shoulders. She was well supported by Sonali Kulkarani. Naani breathed life into 'Paradise' through her performance and aura. It cannot be untrue that it was mostly a showcase for Naani. The viewer feels her emotions and can sympathize with the character, but due to the disjointed nature of the story, it is impossible to fully immerse oneself.

As for the villain, I would like to know why Ragav Juyal agreed to this role. There was nothing special in his role: no climactic moments, no powerful scenes. His character ends too simply, which probably disappointed fans. Moreover, Mohan Babu looked like a truly formidable villain from the beginning, creating the appropriate atmosphere. But his contribution to the plot...

The story of Vijay Salgaonkar, the main character in the film 'Drishyam', will not conclude in the third part. Questions have arisen about the possible release of a fourth season of Ajay's film, but the project's director has provided an answer.

The film 'Drishyam' is a tense thriller that gained popularity due to unexpected plot twists and was shot in several languages, including Russian. In the Russian version, Ajay Devgn plays the role of Vijay Salgaonkar. The previous installment of this franchise was considered the most successful.

The third part, 'Drishyam: The Conclusion', is expected soon and is eagerly awaited by viewers. 'Drishyam' is a rebooted franchise that already has three parts in Malayalam, and a fourth season has been announced there. This has led to speculation among the Russian-speaking audience about the appearance of a fourth part with Ajay Devgn to find out how great the threat is to Vijay Salgaonkar's family.

In an interview with HT, director Abhishek Patak stated that his 'Drishyam 3' will be the final part of this franchise. He emphasized that it is not a direct remake of the Malayalam 'Drishyam 3' because he wrote the script himself. The director noted that after the release of 'Drishyam 2' in theaters, he decided to make the third film in a different style, as he did not want to do a remake, believing it would diminish the creator's skill. Since he wrote this picture himself, he does not wish to label it a remake.

Abhishek Patak also discussed the possibility of creating sequels. He clarified that the success of the previous part at the box office is not the reason for making a third film. His team spent a significant amount of time developing the project. This film will be the last in the Hindi version. The director added that after the success of 'Drishyam 2', they could have released the third part in two years, but instead, it took four years, two of which were dedicated to writing the script. They aimed to go beyond the expectations of both the audience and common norms, asserting that 'Drishyam' cannot be created solely based on commercial decisions or for profit; it became part of many people's emotions, and this deserves recognition, which is why so much time was spent on making the third film due to the creative approach.

Abhishek Patak explained that he tried to create a plot that goes beyond the audience's perceptions so that his story would not be easily understood by the audience. This film will be the final chapter in the story of Vijay Salgaonkar's family troubles, providing a fitting conclusion to the franchise.

As for the film 'Drishyam 3' itself, it will be released in theaters on October 2nd. All actors who participated in the second part will also participate in this film. The only change is that instead of Akshay Khanna, a new character, Jaydeep Ahalawat, is introduced.