No pressure: Jaideep Ahlawat on stepping into 'Drishyam 3' after Akshaye Khanna's exit

Actor Jaideep Ahlawat says he never felt pressured about stepping into the "Drishyam" franchise after Akshaye Khanna's exit, as he believed the third instalment offered his character a distinct journey rather than a replacement for the one played by Khanna.

Ahlawat, known for "Paatal Lok", has joined the Ajay Devgn-led thriller series after Khanna's departure earlier this year. Khanna played IPS officer Tarun Ahlawat in the first two films.

In the third and final chapter, Ahlawat plays SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar, who takes on Vijay Salgaonkar, played by Devgn, and his family.

Asked about the possibility of comparisons with Khanna, Ahlawat said director Abhishek Pathak's writing made the transition easier.

"No, not at all. The way Abhishek had written the script and the dialogues were written, I never felt that I wasn't a part of this world. When I heard the script, it didn't feel like this character is coming in place of Akshaye sir's character," he told reporters at the trailer launch of the film in Panaji.

"One character's journey has ended and another character has been introduced. So, I felt there is no point in feeling pressured by his character. It's going to be a completely different journey."

Ahlawat said Tomar's introduction and his relationships with the other characters have been developed afresh.

"The introduction will be new, there will be new relationships with Meera and the Deshmukhs or the Salgaonkars," he said.

He credited Pathak with building Tomar's character in detail, from his appearance to his mannerisms.

"When Abhishek narrated the script to me, I didn't feel that this character was there because of any other character. It will take a bit of time to understand who Tomar is but they have done a thorough job with the character – from his hairstyle and costume to his sunglasses.

"He (Abhishek) explained everything to me and that's why the job became a bit easier. And then you have such an amazing cast that you feel relaxed," Ahlawat said.

The actor also recalled his earlier association with Devgn, saying his first film, "Aakrosh", featured the superstar and was produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak.

Ahlawat said he has also been a long-time admirer of Tabu, who has been a central part of the Hindi "Drishyam" films.

Tabu recalled calling Ahlawat after watching "Paatal Lok".

"Everybody knows how brilliant he is. I called him after watching 'Paatal Lok'. Didn't I, Jaideep sir? And I had looked for his number. It had come during the pandemic and that was one of the very few shows I've watched in my life, and he's just brilliant," she said.

In the "Drishyam" films, Devgn plays Vijay Salgaonkar, a cable operator in Goa whose quiet family life with his wife Nandini and their two daughters is upended after a teenage boy goes missing and his family becomes the prime suspect.

"Drishyam: The Conclusion" picks up from the events of the second film, with Vijay and his family once again facing pressure as old secrets and unanswered questions threaten to surface. The arrival of Tomar, who takes charge of the case, gives Vijay a formidable new adversary determined to uncover the truth surrounding the boy's disappearance.

The film reunites Devgn with Tabu as Meera Deshmukh, Shriya Saran as Nandini Salgaonkar and Rajat Kapoor as Mahesh Deshmukh. Prakash Raj has also joined the cast in a pivotal role.

Tabu said the excitement surrounding the franchise is something she will always cherish and hinted that the story could potentially continue despite the film being billed as the conclusion.

"I am not saying goodbye to this unless Kumar ji and Abhishek give us something on paper saying that it will never be made again. Then we will believe it. Otherwise, you never know. Kumar ji will call up and say, 'Abhishek ne ek outstanding thought nikal liya hai 4 ke liye'," she said.

However, Tabu does not expect Meera to find emotional closure even if the case is eventually solved.

"I don't think Meera will get closure. Even if the case is solved and Vijay gets punished, emotionally I don't think there'll ever be closure because I don't think there's a bigger or worse grief than losing a child," she said.

She described Meera as one of the most difficult characters she has played because of the conflicting emotions within her.

"She was the victim, but you wanted to hate her also. So that was tough, but then it became really easy because it's been 11 years living this character... So I think it's become part of our lives and our career trajectory to do a 'Drishyam' every few years," Tabu said.

Saran, meanwhile, said Nandini remains particularly close to her heart because of the relationship between her character and Vijay.

"Nandini and Vijay have this beautiful relationship where Vijay never says that Nandini did anything wrong... And after that, he's always supported her, which I don't know how much happens in real life. But it's very beautifully written by Abhishek," she said.

Saran also recalled getting emotional while leaving the Salgaonkar household set on the final day of shooting.

"On the last day on set, I remember leaving the house and the set. The last time, I looked at the dinner table where they spent so much time, and where so much has been shot, and I felt like this is going away. But the memories that I've had, so much I've learned, and how beautifully it's written, it'll always be with me," she said.

Pathak said he and his team spent two-and-a-half years developing the screenplay and were confident in their story even before reading the Malayalam version of the film, which released earlier this year.

"I had spent 2.5 years on the script with my team. I read the script of the Malayalam movie later but we were sure that what we have is great. It was what we wanted to make and thought it will be liked by our audience," he said.

The director said the writing involved looking at the story from Vijay's perspective while also exploring how Meera and Tomar would respond to developments and try to crack the case.

"There was a point during the process when I stopped writing and kept asking people around what they think will happen now. But no one was able to guess what will happen next and that's how I knew that it was working. It was certainly a victory for the script," Pathak said.

Presented by Star Studio18 and produced by Panorama Studios, "Drishyam The Conclusion" is written by Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2.