Drishyam actor Roshan Basheer: Till the release, I didn't know what really happened to Varun Prabhakar

Drishyam 3 announcement sparks fan interest in Varun Prabhakar's return. Roshan Basheer reveals he hasn't been approached for the sequel. He recalls his unexpected casting in the first film and working in Tamil and Telugu remakes. Basheer expresses gratitude for the recognition he gained from the franchise. He looks forward to his upcoming roles in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films.
With the much-anticipated announcement of Drishyam 3, one question immediately popped into the minds of every Malayali: Will Varun Prabhakar return, perhaps even as a ghost? Only writer-director
Jeethu Joseph
holds the answer to that. But ever since the sequel was confirmed, social media has been abuzz with memes linking Drishyam to
Mohanlal
's recent blockbuster Thudarum, and one name keeps resurfacing—Varun Prabhakar, and the actor behind the character,
Roshan Basheer
.
We spoke to him exclusively to find out if there's any chance of Varun making a comeback in Drishyam 3.
'Honestly, ever since the announcement, I've been getting DMs every single day asking if I'll be part of Drishyam 3. Fans keep tagging me in scripts they've written, imagining Varun returning with major twists. But as of now, I don't think I'll be in the sequel—I haven't been approached. And knowing the makers, I doubt they'd add any gimmicks to the story,' Roshan shared.
While speaking about Drishyam, Roshan was swept back into nostalgia as he recounted how he was cast in the film almost overnight.
'It was all such a surprise. Through my father, I got to know about the casting and met Jeethu Joseph. His first reaction was, 'Oh, you're a bit overweight.' I told him I could lose weight for the role, but he surprised me by saying the shoot was starting the very next day. By the time I reached home, I got a call from the production controller saying, 'The cab will come in the morning, be ready to leave for the location in Thodupuzha.
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' The rest, as they say, is history,' he gushed.
Although he played one of the lead roles in the film, Roshan admitted that he had no idea about the twists in the story.
'I didn't know anything about the full story,' Roshan said with a laugh. 'All I knew was that my character appears, speaks a bit, and then gets killed. I honestly thought it was just another supporting role. I didn't even know why I was killed! Not just me—even most of the crew weren't aware of the complete plot.
The makers were extremely careful about preserving the suspense. They took a lot of risks to keep the story under wraps, and I think it was the first time a Malayalam film had done something like that.
'
Sharing some fond memories from the set, Roshan Basheer fondly recalled the unforgettable moment he met Mohanlal.
'Though I didn't have any scenes with Lal sir, he was on set when I arrived. I went up to him, and to my surprise, he told me he remembered me.
Even though he had attended the pooja of my debut film Plus Two, and we had shared the screen briefly in Red Wine, I never expected him to actually recall me. It was such a priceless moment,' the actor said with a smile.
When asked if he misses being part of the sequel, especially since the story revolves around his character, Roshan responded with grace, saying the film had already given him more than he ever expected.
'There are many actors who, despite doing numerous films, never truly get recognized.
I consider myself fortunate to have gained such widespread recognition from just one movie—it's a pure blessing. Not only in Malayalam, but I was also able to establish myself in Tamil and Telugu industries through the same character. Interestingly, before Drishyam 2 released, my Instagram followers were around 100k; shortly after, that number doubled to 200k.
Who gets that kind of attention without even appearing in the film? I don't think there's a single Malayali who hasn't watched Drishyam, so they know me too.
Everything the movie and the character have given me is truly a bonus,' the actor added.
When asked about portraying the same character in both the Tamil and Telugu versions of the film, Roshan revealed that it was much easier to perform in the remakes.
'When I did Drishyam, I didn't know much about the movie or even my character. But when it came to Papanasam and Drushyam, I pretty much understood the story and my role, so it was much easier.
Papanasam was directed by Jeethu sir himself, and luckily, he also directed my parts in the Telugu remake, which made things smoother for me. The biggest blessing was getting to witness the three legends of their respective industries working their magic during the shoots.
Although I didn't have any scenes alongside Mohanlal sir,
Kamal Haasan
sir, or Venkatesh sir, I was fortunate to spend quality time with each of them. The most interesting part was that all three of them complimented my eyes, saying they were unique.
These memories are something I will cherish forever,' he shared.
On the work front, Roshan is eagerly awaiting the release of his Malayalam film Rachel, co-starring
Honey Rose
. He's also excited about his upcoming Telugu movie, where he'll be stepping into the role of a comedian for the first time. Additionally, audiences can catch him as a college student in the Tamil film All Pass, which features a love triangle storyline.

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