The suspense surrounding Vijay Salgaonkar is back. The much-awaited trailer of Drishyam: The Conclusion, the third Hindi film in the popular thriller franchise, has been released, setting the stage for what appears to be the final and most intense chapter of Vijay's battle to protect his family.

Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar, while Tabu once again plays IG Meera Deshmukh. Shriya Saran also reprises her role as Nandini Salgaonkar. This time, however, the investigation gets a major new face with Jaideep Ahlawat joining the franchise as SP Crime Branch Rajveer Singh Tomar.

His appearance immediately led to comparisons with Akshaye Khanna, who played senior police officer Tarun Ahlawat in Drishyam 2. But the third film is not simply replacing one investigating officer with another version of the same character.

Has Jaideep Ahlawat Replaced Akshaye Khanna in Drishyam 3?

That has been one of the biggest questions after the trailer arrived.

Akshaye Khanna played a major role in Drishyam 2 as the officer determined to uncover Vijay Salgaonkar's carefully constructed secret. He is absent from the newly released trailer of the third film.

Jaideep Ahlawat, meanwhile, enters as Rajveer Singh Tomar, an SP in the Crime Branch. Current coverage of the trailer describes him as a completely new investigator who takes on Vijay as the unresolved case becomes more serious.

So it would be more accurate to say that Jaideep has joined the franchise with a new character rather than directly taking over Akshaye Khanna's role.

Ajay Devgn Explains the New Investigation

At the trailer launch event in Goa, the makers addressed questions surrounding the change in investigators.

The basic idea is that the police have repeatedly failed to prove their case against Vijay Salgaonkar. With the mystery still unresolved, the investigation now appears to have moved into a more serious phase involving the Crime Branch.

That change allows the story to introduce Rajveer Singh Tomar as a fresh threat.

Rather than repeating the same police-versus-Vijay dynamic from the second film, the third instalment appears designed to raise the stakes with a different investigative approach.

Jaideep Ahlawat Brings a Fresh Threat to Vijay

The trailer presents Jaideep's character as calm, observant and determined to expose the truth Vijay has spent years protecting.

India Today describes Rajveer Singh Tomar as a sharp Crime Branch officer who becomes Vijay's newest problem as old secrets begin coming under pressure again.

His entry changes the balance of the story because Vijay is no longer dealing only with familiar opponents.

Jaideep's character appears to be approaching the case with fresh eyes and without underestimating Vijay's ability to manipulate circumstances.

That could become crucial in a franchise where Vijay's greatest weapon has always been his ability to stay several steps ahead of investigators.

Tabu Returns With Revenge on Her Mind

Tabu's Meera Deshmukh remains central to the conflict.

The original Drishyam story began after Meera's son Sameer was killed following an incident involving Vijay's daughter. Since then, Meera's pursuit of Vijay and his family has remained one of the franchise's most important emotional threads.

The new trailer suggests that her motivations have become even more personal.

Reports describing the footage say Meera and her husband Mahesh Deshmukh, played by Rajat Kapoor, are now driven strongly by revenge as the mystery approaches its conclusion.

This means Vijay is facing pressure from several directions rather than from just one investigating officer.

Prakash Raj Adds Another Challenge

Jaideep Ahlawat is not the only major new obstacle confronting Vijay.

Prakash Raj also appears in the film and is shown as a powerful legal figure challenging Vijay's version of events.

Reports on the trailer describe his character as lawyer Indrajith Shetty, adding another dimension to the confrontation.

With Meera seeking revenge, Rajveer leading the Crime Branch investigation and Prakash Raj's character applying legal pressure, Vijay appears to be entering his most difficult battle yet.

Vijay Salgaonkar Faces His Biggest Test

Ajay Devgn once again plays Vijay as an ordinary family man who is capable of extraordinary planning whenever his loved ones are threatened.

For two films, he has successfully stayed ahead of the police by controlling information, manipulating timelines and anticipating the moves of investigators.

But Drishyam: The Conclusion appears to question whether those tactics can work forever.

The trailer suggests that new evidence and new investigators may finally begin exposing weaknesses in Vijay's carefully maintained story.

At the same time, Vijay remains confident in his ability to defend his family.

That battle of intelligence has always been at the heart of the franchise, and the final chapter appears determined to push it further.

Drishyam 3 Is Being Presented as the Final Chapter

The third Hindi instalment carries the title Drishyam: The Conclusion, strongly signalling that the makers intend to bring Vijay Salgaonkar's long-running story to a decisive end.

The trailer itself has been positioned as the beginning of Vijay's final battle against those trying to uncover what really happened.

Current reports also describe the movie as the concluding chapter of the Hindi franchise.

That gives the film considerably higher stakes than a routine sequel.

Rather than simply opening another mystery for a future instalment, the story is expected to resolve major questions that have followed Vijay and his family since the first film.

Who Is in the Cast of Drishyam: The Conclusion?

The film brings together several familiar faces while adding important new characters.

The confirmed cast includes Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran, Jaideep Ahlawat, Prakash Raj, Rajat Kapoor, Ishita Dutta, Kamlesh Sawant and Mrunal Jadhav.

Abhishek Pathak, who directed Drishyam 2, returns to direct the third instalment.

The screenplay has been written by Abhishek Pathak, Aamil Keeyan Khan and Parveez Shaikh.

When Will Drishyam 3 Release?

Drishyam: The Conclusion is scheduled to release in theatres on October 2, 2026.

The date carries special significance for fans of the franchise because October 2 has repeatedly played an important role in Vijay Salgaonkar's carefully constructed alibi.

The theatrical release date has now been confirmed across reports covering the trailer launch.

Trailer Sets Up Vijay's Final Battle

The newly released trailer has raised several questions without giving away the answers.

Can Vijay Salgaonkar once again stay ahead of investigators? Will the Crime Branch finally discover evidence strong enough to break his defence? And will Meera Deshmukh finally learn the complete truth about what happened to her son?

Jaideep Ahlawat's arrival as Rajveer Singh Tomar gives the investigation a fresh direction, while Tabu and Prakash Raj make Vijay's challenge even more complicated.

Most importantly, Jaideep's entry should not simply be viewed as Akshaye Khanna being "replaced." His Crime Branch officer is a new character created for a new phase of the investigation.

With the story being presented as the conclusion of Vijay Salgaonkar's journey, Drishyam 3 is shaping up to be the franchise's biggest battle of strategy, evidence and deception yet.