May 31, 2026 6:09pm IST
‘Dridam’ Director Martin Joseph On ‘Drishyam’ Dialogue In His Film: ‘Jeethu Joseph Himself Added It To The Script’ (EXCLUSIVE)
In the recently released Malayalam crime thriller “Dridam” starring Shane Nigam, one of the film’s villainous characters, Krishnan Kurup (played by Shobi Thilakan) spouts a line that fans of “Drishyam” will instantly recognise: “Ah rahashyam ee bhoomiyil randamathoraal ariyilla...athu ennodoppam mannil alinju illathaakum (‘I will take this secret to my grave’).” It’s a line said by Mohanlal in the franchise’s first instalment. “Dridam” director Martin Joseph reveals that Jeethu Joseph himself added this line to the script.
Martin Joseph, a former associate of Jeethu Joseph on “12th Man” and “Neru,” says, “I had given the script of ‘Dridam’ to Jeethu Sir for his perusal. One of the suggestions he made was the inclusion of this popular line from his film. He thought it would evoke intrigue in audiences as to whether there is a ‘Drishyam’ connection to the film or if the character simply uses a pop-culture reference that seemed apt in the moment.”
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“Dridam,” Martin’s directorial debut, has performed moderately well since its release and the filmmaker attributes this positive response to lessons learned from his mentor. “One of my major learnings has been about realistic storytelling. Jeethu Joseph's repeated commentary to his associates is about the importance of a strong screenplay, as it forms the foundation of a movie and connects audiences to the story and characters,” he adds.
Martin says there are challenges in engaging viewers with a compelling thriller. “When a viewer watches a thriller, he/she is always searching for the truth or to crack the mystery and reveal the true perpetrator in an effort to stay ahead of the game. We intended to pique the audience's curiosity and lead them to a startling climax," he states.
Does Martin intend to have further “Dridam” installments like his mentor Jeethu Joseph’s "Drishyam" franchise? “Currently, I have no plans for a sequel. The story of ‘Dridam’ had a proper ending with no loose ends or even the suggestion of a possible follow-up. Having said that, as a team, we did discuss the possibility of another case investigation by Shane’s character. Nothing’s concrete yet," Martin signs off, adding that he is working on two other scripts – a mystery thriller and a horror subject.
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