Eight days was all it took for Drishyam 3 to reset Ajay Devgn’s commercial ceiling. By Friday, the threequel had crossed ₹409.43 crore in worldwide collections, clearing the ₹389 crore lifetime total of Singham Again to become the biggest release of Devgn’s 35-year career.
The number behind the record
The film opened on 2 October across 15,759 shows in India and recorded a ₹66.75 crore net first day, as reported by Bhaskar English. On day eight, Friday’s ₹24.86 crore collection took the worldwide cume to ₹409.43 crore. That makes it the fourth-highest grossing film of the year after just over a week.
- 8-day worldwide cume: ₹409.43 crore
- Previous Devgn best: ₹389 crore, Singham Again (2024)
- Next target: Hanuman Ansh at ₹430 crore, currently third for the year
Why the milestone matters
The record does more than add a line to Devgn’s filmography. It flips the usual expectation that his spectacle-led action films set the ceiling. A thriller is now the career benchmark, ahead of Singham Again and the rest of his filmography.
The milestone is also a reminder that the Drishyam IP has become Devgn’s most reliable theatrical asset. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Drishyam 2 were already among his top-grossing titles, according to the report. Now the third instalment has separated itself before its second weekend even begins.
The speed of the run matters for exhibitors and distributors. A ₹66.75 crore opening day and a strong day-eight hold point to repeat viewing and weekday audience interest, not just front-loaded fan rush. That changes how long theatres can hold screens and how advertisers can plan around the film.
What to watch this weekend
The next threshold is ₹430 crore, the current total of Hanuman Ansh. If Drishyam 3 holds through its second weekend, it moves into third place on the 2026 chart. The report notes that earnings are expected to rise over the weekend, so the ranking could change by Monday.
For media planners and entertainment marketers, the useful signal is that a franchise can outrun a star’s action universe when the story is strong. Box-office talking points are shifting from “event opening” to “sustained hold.”
Source: Bhaskar English
