Drishyam 3 writer explains how Jaideep Ahlawat's cop isn't exactly the villain

Actor Jaideep Ahlawat has won widespread appreciation for his portrayal of SP Rajveer Singh Tomar, the new Crime Branch officer determined to unravel Vijay Salgaonkar’s carefully guarded secrets in Drishyam 3: The Conclusion. However, the film’s writer, Aamil Keeyan Khan, believes that labelling his character a villain would be unfair, as he is simply doing his job. Addressing the love and popularity Ahlawat has received for his performance, the writer also compared writing to composing music, explaining why the actor deserves every bit of the praise coming his way.Amid the film’s success, Khan spoke exclusively to India Today about his approach to writing Ahlawat’s character and the impression he had while developing the role.“I didn't even know he was the villain! I mean, he's a cop trying to catch a criminal. How terribly villainous of him! Just because we've grown emotionally attached to Vijay Salgaonkar doesn't automatically make him a saint. He's done some pretty morally questionable things himself. The beauty of Drishyam is that nobody is entirely right or wrong. It depends on whose side of the story you're watching. So I'd call Jaideep sir's character an antagonist, certainly, but a villain? That's a bit harsh on a man who's just trying to do his job,” Khan said.“Jaideep sir hit every note perfectly. He deserves every bit of the love and praise coming his way,” he added. With Drishyam 3 performing strongly at the box office, the decision to end the franchise with the third instalment raises questions about why the makers chose not to extend Vijay Salgaonkar’s story further.“We simply felt the story had reached its natural conclusion. And like I said, sometimes you need to know when to leave the ring. You can only take a character so far before you start stretching credibility. Vijay Salgaonkar has already outsmarted practically the entire police department. If we keep going, at some point he'll have to take on the CBI, the FBI, and possibly Interpol,” he said. “I think it's always better to leave the audience wanting more than to reach a point where they're begging you to stop. There's a certain dignity in knowing when to say goodbye. Especially when the box office is giving you every reason not to,” Khan concluded.Meanwhile, Drishyam 3 is inching closer to the Rs 500-crore mark worldwide, maintaining its strong box-office run on Day 11. According to tracking website Sacnilk, the thriller has grossed Rs 489.74 crore globally, including Rs 378.24 crore from India and Rs 111.50 crore from overseas markets. Its India nett collection currently stands at Rs 315.25 crore.The film has surpassed Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior to become the highest-grossing film of Ajay Devgn's career. It's also the first Ajay-led film to cross Rs 300 crore in India nett collections.- Ends