Indian cinema goes global: 'Drishyam' to be remade in Hollywood

Offering further affirms its status as a cinematic masterpiece

Jeetu Joseph's critically acclaimed film, Drishyam, is gearing up for a global takeover as it prepares for an English remake to be produced in Hollywood, as reported by Hindustan Times. The movie, which originated in Malayalam in 2013 and starred Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, and Esther Anil, has already seen success with remakes in various Indian languages and even a Chinese adaptation. Now, the cult franchise is set to make its mark in Hollywood.

Producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak unveiled their ambitious plans for the English remake at the Cannes Film Festival 2023. The project is a collaboration between Panorama Studios, Gulfstream Pictures, and JOAT Films. The announcement signals a significant milestone as Drishyam becomes the first Indian film to get a Hollywood adaptation.

Trade analyst Ramesh Bala shared the news on X, stating, "The cult franchise Drishyam is all set to go global after garnering massive success in the India and China markets." He highlighted that the Korean remake was announced earlier, and now the franchise is achieving a new milestone with the Hollywood venture. Sreedhar Pillai added on X that Panorama Studios secured the international remake rights for both Drishyam and its sequel Drishyam 2 from the original producers, Aashirvad Cinemas.

The cult franchise #Drishyam is all set to go global after garnering massive success in the India and China markets. Producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak announced the Korean remake of the thriller franchise at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, and now they announce the… pic.twitter.com/J7klzfsnjZ

— Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) February 29, 2024

#PanoramaStudios takes the #Drishyam Franchise to #Hollywood!

The cult franchise #Drishyam is all set to go global after garnering massive success in the India and China markets. Producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Panorama Studios have joined hands with Gulfstream Pictures and… pic.twitter.com/7Kj2Ui1GSX

— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) February 29, 2024

The journey of Drishyam has been extraordinary, starting with its Malayalam release in 2013. The gripping storyline and stellar performances quickly led to remakes in Kannada (Drishya), Telugu (Drushyam), Tamil (Papanasam), and Hindi (Drishyam) in the subsequent years, featuring renowned actors like Ravichandran, Venkatesh, Kamal Haasan, and Ajay Devgn in lead roles.

The success continued with international adaptations, including a Sinhala version titled Dharmayuddhaya in 2017 and a Mandarin-Chinese adaptation named Sheep Without a Shepherd in 2019. Various directors took charge of the remakes in different languages, with Jeetu Joseph directing the Tamil version.

With Indonesian and Korean remakes already in progress, the Hollywood adaptation marks a new pinnacle for the Drishyam franchise. The rarity of a successful sequel, Drishyam 2, released in 2021, further solidified the franchise's standing. The sequel, praised as a worthy continuation of the original, was remade in Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, extending the legacy of this iconic Indian thriller.

As the English remake unfolds, Drishyam is poised to captivate global audiences, affirming its status as a cinematic masterpiece with universal appeal. The anticipation surrounding this Hollywood endeavour reinforces the film's enduring legacy and the global recognition of its compelling narrative.

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