Khushi Bhuta, Pune
Panorama Studios, Gulfstream Pictures, and JOAT are set to make a Hollywood version of Indian blockbuster Drishyam. The first release of the film was in the form of the Mohanlal-starrer, Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam (2013).
The Chairman and Managing Director of Panorama Studios, Kumar Mangat Pathak, has expressed his excitement towards the same by stating, “We are very happy to collaborate with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films to create this story in English for Hollywood. After Korea and Hollywood, our mission is to produce ‘Drishyam’ in 10 countries in the next three to five years.” In the official joint statement from Mike Karz and Bill Bindley of Gulfstream Pictures, the two have also expressed their excitement by emphasizing on the fact that they are looking forward to witnessing the reception of the film amongst American audiences.
The original Malayalam film Drishyam (2013) has gotten numerous remakes including the Kannada Drishya (2014), the Telugu Drushyam (2014), the Tamil Papanasam (2015), and the Hindi Drishyam (2015). Internationally, the film has also had a Sinhala remake titled Dharmayuddhaya (2017) as well as a Mandarin one titled Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019). The original banner of the film, Aashirvad Cinemas, have said in a statement that a potential future deal is being finalized for a Spanish release as well. Along with that, Korean and Indonesian remakes can also be expected in the near future.
Drishyam (2013) is a crime thriller that revolves around the story of Georgekutty, played by Mohanlal, and his family. The family comes under the radar of the local police department as Varun Prabhakar, the missing son of IG Geetha Prabhakar, raises suspicions about them. The 2021 sequel of the crime thriller, titled Drishyam 2, was also highly rated amongst critics. The sequel revolves around the family navigating life post the first film as Mohanlal and Jeethu once again collaborated on the film.
The film was also popularly received amongst its Hindi audiences in the Ajay Devgan-starrer Nishikant Kamat’s Drishyam (2015). Set in the state of Goa, it followed the narrative from the perspective of Vijay Salgaonkar and his family.