Just weeks after emerging as one of the year’s biggest Malayalam blockbusters, the Mohanlal-starrer Drishyam 3 has hit an unexpected legal snag. An Idukki-based farmer has filed an official complaint with the Munnar Deputy Superintendent of Police against producer Antony Perumbavoor, director Jeethu Joseph, and the production team. The complainant alleges that the registration number on the vehicle driven by Georgekutty (Mohanlal) in the movie belongs to his personal vehicle and was used entirely without his knowledge or permission.
Farmer alleges his vehicle number was used without consent
A vehicle registration dispute has emerged over Drishyam 3, with complainant R.D. Rajeev, a resident of Kunchithanny in Kerala’s Idukki district, claiming that the vehicle driven on-screen by the character Georgekutty bears his exact license plate number, KL 69 D 2772.
Rajeev discovered the issue after friends noticed the match while watching the movie, a detail he later confirmed himself. Interestingly, while Rajeev owns a white Mahindra Scorpio, the film features a different vehicle model with the same registration number.
People have started teasing me
The film’s success has taken a personal toll on Rajeev, drawing unwanted public attention and teasing. He told local media that people have started calling him Drishyam Rajeev, as viewers have begun associating his actual vehicle with the one depicted in the movie. Voicing serious concerns that being linked to a fictional plot could lead to damaging misunderstandings, Rajeev emphasised that the reactions have intensified as the film has gained traction. He added that people who saw the film have started referring to his vehicle as a Drishyam vehicle, noting that these comments mostly come from the new generation.
What the complainant is demanding
Along with his complaint, Rajeev submitted his vehicle’s registration certificate to support his claim. The farmer argues that this unauthorised use of his number plate has caused him severe mental distress and could embroil him in avoidable complications. Consequently, he has requested that further screenings be halted until the issue is resolved, demanding a public apology from the filmmakers and the immediate removal of all scenes featuring the disputed registration number.
What happens next?
So far, both Mohanlal and the film’s producers have remained silent on the complaint. While the police have confirmed receipt of the matter, it remains unclear whether formal legal action will follow.
Meanwhile, Drishyam 3, helmed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Mohanlal alongside Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, and Asha Sharath, continues its successful run in theatres. The Malayalam film has reached massive milestones, pulling in a worldwide gross of ₹236.97 crore, comprising an India gross of ₹125.27 crore and an overseas gross of ₹111.70 crore, alongside an India net collection of ₹107.98 crore across 58,801 shows.
