On the night of 3 October 2014, a man named David Braganza flees from authorities for murder. While hiding behind a police station that is under construction, he sees Vijay emerging from it. David later attempts to escape town with his wife and son but gets arrested.Seven years later, Vijay, Nandini, Anju, and Anu are living contentedly. Vijay is now a prosperous businessman who owns a movie theatre and still operates a cable company. He aspires ... [more] On the night of 3 October 2014, a man named David Braganza flees from authorities for murder. While hiding behind a police station that is under construction, he sees Vijay emerging from it. David later attempts to escape town with his wife and son but gets arrested.Seven years later, Vijay, Nandini, Anju, and Anu are living contentedly. Vijay is now a prosperous businessman who owns a movie theatre and still operates a cable company. He aspires to make a film of his own and is in frequent contact with screenwriter Murad Ali to develop the script. Anju, on the other hand, is a PTSD patient and has recurring episodes of epilepsy, as a result of her involvement in Sam's death. Jealous of the family's rise in wealth, a number of locals have resorted to spreading rumors about Anju being in a relationship with Sam, much to Nandini's distress. Her only confidante is her friendly neighbor, Jenny, who is often abused by her alcoholic husband, Shiv.On Sam's death anniversary, Vijay has an encounter with Sam's father Mahesh, who vainly begs him to disclose the location of his son's remains. Meanwhile, Nandini spends more time with Jenny and inadvertently discloses that Anju killed Sam. Unknown to her, Jenny and Shiv are married undercover cops, assigned by Inspector-general of police Tarun Ahlawat, who is a close friend and colleague of Meera.At the same time, David is released from prison. After struggling to reconcile with his now-estranged wife, he yearns to find employment. While coming to know that Vijay's case is still ongoing, he recalls the latter's presence at the then-under-construction police station and realizes that Vijay was indeed complicit in the murder. He tips Tarun, who summons Meera and Mahesh from London. After the trio bribes him, David divulges what he saw, leading to the newly-built police station being excavated. The police eventually find a skeleton. Vijay, having noticed this through his CCTV cameras which he had installed around the police station, seemingly gives up.Tarun summons Vijay's for questioning. While Vijay, Nandini, Anu, and Anju manage to maintain their alibi; Meera reveals a voice recording of Nandini's earlier confession to Jenny; the police bugged the family residence earlier, exposing the family. Gaitonde thrashes Vijay's family, causing Anju to have one of her fits. A distraught Vijay falsely confesses that he killed Sam. With the police satisfied, the family are let go, and Vijay gets arrested and placed on trial for Sam's murder, although Meera isn't satisfied and demands that Vijay's family be punished as well.Having learnt of Vijay's arrest, Murad visits Tarun, Meera, and Mahesh. He reveals that during one of his encounters with Vijay, the latter had fabricated a script for a future crime thriller, loosely based on Sam's murder. He says that the script had been turned into a novel titled Drishyam, although it was published under Murad's name for copyright protection. Vijay pleads not guilty, with his lawyer claiming that the police used Drishyam's plot as a means to frame him. Furthermore, the judge reveals that the DNA tests conducted on the skeleton do not match Sam's DNA, much to everyone's shock. Murad reveals that Vijay had fabricated an alternate climax for his film in which the hero, knowing his initial plan might fail, would procure the remains of another person of the same age and sex who had died of similar injuries to those of the villain, by befriending the gravedigger at the local cemetery. The hero would keep the skeletal remains with him for three years before befriending the security guard of the district medical college morgue under the pretext of promising him a role in his film. The same night they were excavated from the police station and arrived at the morgue, the hero would swap the bodies before the DNA analysis takes place.Vijay is released on bail due to a lack of evidence, and the police are prohibited from investigating the family. The judge calls Tarun to his chambers and tells him to end all investigations against Vijay and his family, as he believes both families deserve justice, but the legal system is unable to provide it to them. The judge also tells him that such cases are not new to the system. Outside the courthouse, Murad discloses to Meera and Mahesh that Vijay's alternative climax had a twist in which the hero would hand over the villain's cremated remains to the bereaved parents. Simultaneously, Vijay has Sam's cremated remains anonymously handed over to Meera and Mahesh.Mahesh immerses Sam's remains and persuades Meera to let go of her enmity towards Vijay, as he believes they have found closure and believes Vijay would do anything to protect his family. Vijay, who was watching from afar, solemnly leaves. [less]
