Mohanlal’s latest thriller Drishyam 3 has finally arrived on OTT, but not all viewers are getting access to the film in their preferred language. While the third installment of the hugely popular Drishyam franchise started streaming on June 18, the Telugu-dubbed version has been stopped following a legal dispute over rights ownership. The development has come as a setback for Telugu-speaking fans who were waiting to watch the film online on its release day.Madras High Court Stops Telugu OTT ReleaseThe Telugu version of Drishyam 3 was expected to debut alongside other language options on OTT. However, the Madras High Court issued an interim injunction preventing its release after filmmaker Sripriya’s production company, Rajkumar Theatre Pvt Ltd, approached the court, as per Gulte.According to reports, the petition argued that the Telugu rights connected to the Drishyam franchise belong to the company and that releasing a dubbed Telugu version could infringe upon those rights. The matter was heard by Justice K. Kumaresh Babu.In the court order, Justice Kumaresh Babu observed, “It is to be noted that, in spite of service of private notice on them, none of the respondents has entered appearance or is present before this Court. Their names have also been printed in the cause list. In such view of the matter, there shall be an order of interim injunction, restraining the Respondents/Defendants, their servants, agents, employees, assignees, licensees and everyone claiming under or through the Respondents/Defendants from exploiting the copyrights of the applicant by releasing the same in the OTT Platform.”The interim order remains in force until further proceedings take place.Why Has the Dispute Emerged?The disagreement is linked to the Telugu adaptation rights of the franchise. The first two Malayalam films were officially remade in Telugu as Drushyam (2014) and Drushyam 2 (2021), both starring Venkatesh in the lead role. Sripriya directed the first Telugu remake and has claimed ownership of rights associated with the Telugu version.Unlike the earlier installments, Drishyam 3 was not remade in Telugu. Instead, the makers chose to release a dubbed Telugu version directly on OTT. Sripriya and Rajkumar Sethupathi subsequently filed a petition seeking to block the release, leading to the court’s intervention.The case has once again highlighted how remake, adaptation and sequel rights can become complicated when a successful franchise expands across multiple film industries.Where Can Viewers Watch Drishyam 3?Although the Telugu version is unavailable at the moment, Drishyam 3 has started streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Viewers can currently watch the film in Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada.English subtitles are also available. Reports additionally state that Malayalam audio description support has been included for viewers who require accessibility features.About Drishyam 3Directed by Jeethu Joseph, Drishyam 3 marks the return of Mohanlal as Georgekutty, the character at the centre of one of Indian cinema’s most successful thriller franchises. The film also stars Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil and Kalabhavan Shajon in key roles.The story continues several years after the events of Drishyam 2. While Georgekutty and his family appear to have moved on, fresh developments connected to the past bring new challenges and renewed scrutiny.Released in theatres on May 21, the film reportedly enjoyed a strong box-office run before making its digital debut less than a month later.Since its launch in 2013, the Drishyam franchise has found audiences across India through several successful remakes. The Hindi adaptation starred Ajay Devgn, the Telugu version featured Venkatesh, while the Tamil remake Papanasam had Kamal Haasan in the lead role.