Drishyam 3 Madras High Court Case Puts Ajay Devgn's October 2 Release in Doubt

A Thriller About Alibis, Now Facing a Courtroom Twist of Its Own

Vijay Salgaonkar has spent two films building the perfect alibi. His third outing may first have to survive a very different test: a legal challenge filed days before release. A Chennai production house has gone to court to stop the worldwide release of the Hindi Drishyam 3, which is due in cinemas on October 2 with Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran and Jaideep Ahlawat in the cast.

The Drishyam 3 Madras High Court dispute is about contracts and copyright, not content, but its outcome could decide whether one of the year’s biggest Hindi releases arrives on schedule.

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Who Is Challenging the Release, and What Do They Claim?

The petitioner is Rajkumar Theatres Pvt Ltd, owned by veteran actress Sripriya and her husband Rajkumar Sethupathy. The company says it holds proprietary adaptation rights and copyright in the underlying film, and that releasing the Hindi version without its authorisation infringes both. It wants the court to restrain worldwide theatrical release, distribution and exploitation.

Rajkumar’s core argument is about sequence. He says his company holds the first right of refusal for any Indian remake of Drishyam, and that the first two Hindi films were made only after it issued a no-objection certificate. For the third, he claims, that step was skipped. The company is also seeking compensation for what it calls contractually guaranteed rights.

These are the petitioner’s allegations. The film’s makers have not yet had their say in court.

What Happened in Court So Far?

Why Are Dubbed Versions at the Centre of This?

The matter was heard urgently on Tuesday, September 29. Rather than pass an immediate order, the High Court adjourned the case to October 1 and gave the film’s makers time to file counter-affidavits, which are the formal written replies to the petition’s claims. With the release set for the following day, that leaves a very narrow window for a ruling.

Is This the First Legal Fight Over Drishyam 3?

No. The Malayalam original, starring Mohanlal, has already had a messy legal run.

April 2026: The Delhi High Court stopped the producers from creating third-party OTT rights, in a separate dispute involving Amazon.
May 2026: Rajkumar Theatres sued in the Madras High Court over Telugu remake rights.
June 17, 2026: Justice K Kumaresh Babu issued an interim injunction blocking the Telugu-dubbed OTT release, which was due the next day. The court noted that none of the respondents had appeared despite notice.

The Malayalam version meanwhile reached streaming in other languages, but the Telugu dub stayed on hold.

Rajkumar says the Hindi film is likely to get Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions for OTT. In his view, that would let the Hindi film do an end run around the rights his company holds in those languages. This is the same logic behind the earlier Telugu case, and it explains why the company has returned to court rather than treating the Hindi release as a separate matter.

What Could Happen Next?

There are broadly three paths, and none is certain.

A stay: The court could restrain the release, at least partly, until the dispute is heard.
Conditions or undertakings: The court could allow the release while protecting the petitioner’s claim, for example by tying dubbed or OTT exploitation to the final outcome.
No interim relief: The film could release as planned, with the compensation claim continuing afterward.

Film trade watchers should note that interim orders in rights disputes often turn on whether the petitioner can show a strong prima facie case and whether money can adequately compensate them. For official updates, the Madras High Court website publishes cause lists and orders.

The Bottom Line

The Drishyam 3 Madras High Court hearing on October 1 matters well beyond one film. It tests how far a remake-rights agreement from a decade ago can shape a release schedule today. Until the court rules, audiences should treat the October 2 date as likely but not guaranteed, and check cinema listings before booking.

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Author: M Jyosri
A Junior Journalist passionate about reporting accurate, engaging, and reader-focused news across technology, business, education, health, entertainment, lifestyle, and current affairs. Dedicated to researching reliable sources, verifying information, and producing clear, factual content that follows ethical journalism standards.

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Why is Drishyam 3 facing a Madras High Court case?

The film is reportedly facing a legal dispute that has raised questions about its planned release.

Will the court case affect Drishyam 3’s October 2 release?

The legal proceedings could affect the release schedule, depending on the court’s decision.

Is Drishyam 3 still scheduled to release on October 2?

The October 2 release remains the key date, but the ongoing legal matter has created uncertainty.

Who stars in Drishyam 3?

Ajay Devgn is set to return as Vijay Salgaonkar in the third installment of the Drishyam franchise.

What could happen if the court issues an order against the film?

Depending on the nature of the order, the film’s release or distribution could potentially be affected.