Mumbai, Oct 5: Ajay Devgnstarrer Drishyam 3: The Conclusion has made a powerful start at the box office, emerging as one of the biggest Hindi film performers of 2026 after its release on October 2.
The Abhishek Pathak directed thriller recorded a strong three-day opening weekend, with its India net collection reaching around Rs 176.50 crore, according to Sacnilk. The film’s India gross stood at approximately Rs 211.80 crore, while its overseas earnings pushed the worldwide gross to nearly Rs 272.80 crore.
The third instalment has benefited from the popularity of the franchise and strong audience interest in the return of Vijay Salgaonkar, played by Devgn. Tabu, Shriya Saran, Jaideep Ahlawat, Prakash Raj, Rajat Kapoor and other members of the ensemble cast also feature in the film.
The movie opened with an India net collection of Rs 62 crore on Friday, followed by Rs 53.50 crore on Saturday. Collections climbed again on Sunday, when the film earned around Rs 61 crore, taking the three-day total to Rs 176.50 crore.
The Sunday performance proved particularly important for the film because it showed that audience interest remained strong after the initial release day. The rise in business over the weekend has also strengthened expectations surrounding its performance during the first full week.
Trade reports have placed the film among the strongest Hindi openers of the year. Bollywood Hungama reported that the movie recorded an opening weekend collection of around Rs 174 crore according to its figures, making it the second-biggest Hindi opening weekend of 2026 at the time of its report.
The movie’s advance booking had also indicated substantial interest before the weekend figures came in. Sacnilk reported that advance sales across multiple days had crossed Rs 100 crore in gross bookings, although such figures include bookings across the wider release period and should not be treated as final box-office earnings.
Drishyam 3 carries forward the story of Vijay Salgaonkar, whose ability to protect his family has been central to the franchise. The latest chapter expands the conflict by bringing new pressure on the character and introducing another challenge to the carefully constructed narrative that audiences have followed through the earlier films.
Devgn’s return as Vijay has been one of the principal attractions of the sequel. His restrained portrayal has once again placed the character at the centre of the film, while Tabu reprises her role in the continuing confrontation surrounding the Salgaonkar family.
The addition of Jaideep Ahlawat has also generated interest, with his character bringing a fresh dynamic to the central conflict. The cast further includes Prakash Raj and Rajat Kapoor, adding to the film’s ensemble.
The response has also helped the film establish a strong position against other recent Hindi releases. Early audience discussions have focused on the performances, suspense elements and the concluding chapter of the franchise.
The film’s performance in major urban markets has been particularly significant. Reports indicate strong business in Mumbai and Pune, while Delhi-NCR has also emerged as an important market for the release.
With the weekend now complete, attention has shifted to the crucial Monday test. A strong hold on the first working day would indicate that the film is benefiting from sustained audience interest rather than depending entirely on the opening weekend.
Advance-booking data for Monday showed continued ticket sales across thousands of shows, although the numbers were considerably lower than the weekend figures, as is normal when a major release enters the weekday phase.
The film’s worldwide performance has also given the franchise a major commercial boost. Crossing the Rs 270 crore mark globally within its opening weekend places Drishyam 3 among the notable theatrical successes of the year.
The result is particularly important for Hindi cinema, where franchise films have increasingly become major theatrical attractions. Established characters, familiar story worlds and returning casts can generate strong anticipation before release, but the long-term success of such projects ultimately depends on audience response after the opening.
For Drishyam 3, the first weekend suggests that the franchise has retained its ability to bring audiences to cinemas. The coming weekdays will determine how strongly that momentum continues.
As the film enters its first full week, the focus will remain on its daily collections, occupancy levels and ability to maintain its hold across major markets. If the current trend continues, the movie could add substantially to its opening-week total and strengthen its position among the year’s biggest Hindi releases.
For now, Drishyam 3: The Conclusion has delivered the kind of opening that the makers and exhibitors had hoped for, combining strong domestic business with substantial overseas earnings and giving Ajay Devgn another major theatrical success.