For actor Ishita Dutta Sheth, life has come full circle. “It was my first film, and meri pehchaan comes from this film,” she says.
As the Drishyam franchise where she plays Anju Salgaonkar, reaches its climax with Drishyam: The Conclusion, Dutta admits the box-office response has been overwhelming. “We were surprised. Itna zyada intezar tha logo ko; it was a huge surprise for all of us.”
Living through the annual “October 2” meme mania, she laughs, “That was the perfect release date. Every year, I get flooded with messages.” The pop-culture ritual involving Satsang, pav bhaji, and Panaji has even gone global. “I have friends abroad who get those October 2 messages without fail,” she chuckles. “They might forget my birthday, but they definitely message me saying, ‘Went to Satsang, then took a train.’ That dialogue has become an absolute rage.”
As for whether the franchise will continue, Dutta reveals, “When I was told this was the conclusion, I told everyone, ‘Make another one, I’ll commit another murder!’ When I shot the first film 12 years ago, nobody knew it would become this big. It gave me immense recognition. Ending it feels bittersweet, but good stories need a proper conclusion before they get dragged out. That said, it’s a very open ending, so you never know!”
{{/usCountry}}As for whether the franchise will continue, Dutta reveals, “When I was told this was the conclusion, I told everyone, ‘Make another one, I’ll commit another murder!’ When I shot the first film 12 years ago, nobody knew it would become this big. It gave me immense recognition. Ending it feels bittersweet, but good stories need a proper conclusion before they get dragged out. That said, it’s a very open ending, so you never know!”
{{/usCountry}}On working with family friend and reel-life dad Ajay Devgn, she says, “He’s more than a co-star; our families bond beautifully. Strangely, I keep landing projects with him unknowingly—not just Drishyam, but De De Pyaar De 2 as well.” Recalling the prep for the latter, she laughs, “I was seven months pregnant, and the team told me we’d shoot in four months. I thought, ‘From which angle will I look like Ajay sir’s daughter right now?’ I was 20 kilos over! I had to immediately start prepping post-delivery to get back in shape.”
She adds, “Shooting with him feels like having a family member on set. I remember craving pani-puri in Chandigarh; the team warned me against eating it there, so Ajay sir arranged for the best from a trusted shop it was so humbling gesture.”