Shriya Saran on the 8-Year Gap With Ishita Dutta in Drishyam 3
Shriya Saran says playing Ishita Dutta's mother in Drishyam 3 'doesn't make sense' as the film crosses Rs 300 crore in India.
Drishyam: The Conclusion is having the kind of theatrical run most films can only hope for, but its leading lady is making headlines for a different reason. Shriya Saran, who reprises Nandini Salgaonkar in the Ajay Devgn-led thriller, has opened up about a piece of casting that has quietly followed the franchise for years: she plays mother to Ishita Dutta, who is only eight years younger.
A casting choice that made her pause
In a conversation with News18, Shriya treated the age gap as exactly what it is—an unusual piece of screen math. “It doesn’t make sense,” she admitted. “I had to be a child to give birth to another child.” She said she had thought about the casting gap, but the story’s pull ultimately took over.
“But the story is so impactful and strong that you don’t think about all these things,” she added. That honesty is notable because it touches a wider Bollywood habit: female actors are often slotted into mother roles much earlier than their male peers are asked to age on screen. Shriya said the industry tends to stereotype women, while giving Drishyam’s makers credit for justifying the choice.
Three films, one evolving bond
The relationship between Shriya and Ishita has grown alongside the franchise. On the first Drishyam, Shriya recalled, “we were both literally children.” By Drishyam 2, Ishita had just married and the two were talking about life. By the third chapter, the conversation had turned to children and classes. Shriya revealed that Ishita’s son Vayu is nearly the same age as her daughter Radha, and she described Ishita as a “wonderful mother.”
A box office run to match
The film is backing up the chatter with numbers.
- Released on October 2 with a Rs 62 crore opening.
- Crossed Rs 300 crore in India within ten days.
- Now closing in on the Rs 500 crore global milestone.
Ajay Devgn leads the ensemble under Abhishek Pathak’s direction. The third instalment opened on October 2 with Rs 62 crore and has turned into one of the year’s strongest theatrical performers.
Why this matters for viewers
Shriya’s comments land at a moment when audiences are more vocal about how women are written in Hindi cinema. Drishyam has always kept the Salgaonkar family at the centre of its suspense, and Nandini is not decorative—she carries the emotional weight of a household that is hiding a secret. The fact that the age gap has not hurt the film says something about the story’s grip.
For fans, the off-screen friendship between Shriya and Ishita mirrors the bond the films require. That continuity—across three instalments and several years—is a small reason the thriller still feels grounded, even as its box office numbers get bigger.
Source: Mid-day
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