Drishyam 3 OTT Release: Why Is Mohanlal’s crime thriller NOT streaming in Telugu online?

Mohanlal’s much-awaited crime thriller Drishyam 3 has finally started streaming on OTT from June 18. While the Malayalam version is available for viewers, the Telugu-dubbed version has not been released because of an ongoing legal dispute over its rights. This has disappointed many Telugu-speaking fans who were looking forward to watching the film online.

Why the Telugu Version Is Unavailable online?

The issue is related to the ownership of the Telugu adaptation rights. In May 2026, director Sripriya and her company, Rajkumar Theatre Pvt Ltd, approached the Madras High Court, claiming that they own the Telugu rights of the Drishyam franchise.

After hearing the petition, the court granted an interim injunction that prevents the makers from releasing the Telugu-dubbed version on OTT until the matter is resolved.

Court’s Interim Order

The Madras High Court observed that the respondents did not appear despite receiving notice. As a result, the court temporarily restrained them and anyone connected to them from exploiting the applicant’s copyright by releasing the film on an OTT platform.

This order has effectively put the Telugu OTT release of Drishyam 3 on hold.

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Reason Behind the Rights Dispute

The first two Malayalam films were officially remade in Telugu as Drushyam (2014) and Drushyam 2 (2021), both starring Venkatesh. Sripriya directed the first Telugu remake and claims ownership of the rights related to the Telugu version.

Unlike the earlier films, Drishyam 3 was not remade in Telugu. Instead, the makers planned to release a dubbed version directly on OTT, leading to the current legal battle.

About Drishyam 3

Written and directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film continues the story four-and-a-half years after the events of the second part. Mohanlal returns as Georgekutty, who continues to live under the shadow of a past crime involving his family. As fear and threats refuse to end, Georgekutty makes a shocking decision to surrender to the police in an attempt to protect his loved ones. The film also features Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajon, Siddique, Murali Gopy, and Asha Sarath in important roles.

- PTC PUNJABI