‘Drishyam 3’ director Jeethu Joseph on theatres vs OTT: 'We can never recreate or produce a theatrical experience on TV' - Exclusive

With the arrival of OTT platforms there has been a growing trend of many viewers skipping the theatrical experience for the comfort of watching films from their homes. Safe to say, many filmmakers have opposed this trend believing that the complete experience of a film cannot be enjoyed on a TV screen no matter how big it is. 'Drishyam' director Jeethu Joseph had earlier opened up and shared why he believes that watching a movie in a theatre is very special. In a previous exclusive chat with ETimes, Jeethu Joseph said, “We can never recreate or produce a theatrical experience in Television. Experiencing a movie in theatres is always special.” He explained how theatres have changed over the years. He said theatres are now available everywhere, even in small towns. He added, “We have well-equipped theatres which have 4K Dolby Atmos projection, even in small towns.”The filmmaker also spoke about olden days when people would avoid theatres. He said, “In the olden days, a section of the audience was hesitant to go to theatres because of its poor quality.” Aspects such as long queues and heavy crowds were also persistent problems. But now, he feels everything is easy.Jeethu Joseph feels movie watching has become simple today. He said, “We don’t have to struggle that hard today. We can book tickets online, select the show we want to watch, and even the seats.” Because of this comfort, he believes theatres will always survive. He also shared hope for the industry. He said, “So I feel the industry and everything associated with it will return to normal once the pandemic gets controlled.”During the promotions of 'Mirage', Jeethu Joseph spoke about film trends. He said industries need variety. He explained, “An industry should have movies from different genres.” He warned about blindly following success. He said, “What usually happens is that when a film in one genre becomes a superhit, everyone jumps in to make the same.” Talking about Lokah, he added, “With 'Lokah' success, now the risk is that everyone will start doing superhero movies. That’s not the right thing to do.” He feels new ideas should always be tried.Coming to the present, the makers have officially announced that 'Drishyam 3' will release worldwide on April 2 for Vishu. The announcement was shared by Mohanlal Nair through a motion poster on X (formerly Twitter). The poster came with a chilling line, “Years passed. The past didn't.”With 'Drishyam 3', the legendary saga of Georgekutty reaches its final chapter. It is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on April 2, 2026, coinciding with the Vishu festivities. 'Drishyam 3' marks the final chapter of the legendary saga featuring Georgekutty. It is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on April 2, 2026, coinciding with the Vishu festivities. Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film has Mohanlal reprising the iconic role as the ultimate family protector, along with the original cast including Meena, Ansiba Hassan, and Esther Anil. The makers recently unveiled a chilling motion poster with the tagline, “Years passed. The past didn’t,” hinting that the shadows of Varun Prabhakar's disappearance will finally collide with the present.