Shriya Saran has portrayed Nandini Salgaonkar, the wife of Ajay Devgn’s Vijay Salgaonkar, for more than a decade in the Drishyam franchise. As she returns to the character in Drishyam: The Conclusion, the actor has opened up about the emotional demands of the role, her experience of working with Ajay Devgn, and the bittersweet feeling of potentially saying goodbye to a character she has played for 11 years.
In an interview with SCREEN, Shriya recalled the final day of filming and explained how revisiting Nandini for another instalment required her to understand the character’s changing emotions rather than simply repeat her earlier performance.
Shriya Saran Praises Ajay Devgn’s Natural Acting
Shriya spoke warmly about working with Ajay Devgn, praising his expressive eyes, distinctive screen presence and ability to bring depth to a scene with subtle gestures.
According to the actor, Devgn has a remarkable ability to communicate emotions without making his performance appear overly deliberate. She said that even a small movement of his eyes can convey a great deal, while his dialogue delivery and screen presence make his acting look effortless.
Shriya explained that her own preparation involves carefully understanding a scene’s backstory, emotional tone and the motivation behind each line. She considers how her character should react before stepping in front of the camera.
She also praised Devgn as a generous co-star who understands a film’s rhythm and works effectively with the actors around him. For Shriya, observing his approach to a scene has been an important part of their work together.
Helplessness Became Nandini’s Central Emotion in Drishyam 3
The emotional landscape of Nandini has continued to evolve throughout the Drishyam films. In the latest instalment, Shriya said that helplessness became an important feeling she needed to convey.
She described the difficult experience of sensing that someone close to you needs help but not fully understanding what is wrong at the moment when intervention could make a difference.
That emotion is particularly relevant to Nandini’s relationship with her daughter, Anju. Shriya reflected on the possibility that, had Nandini recognised the situation earlier and asked her daughter what had happened, the family’s story might have unfolded differently.
The actor said this kind of regret and uncertainty is something many parents may understand. Her interpretation of Nandini draws on the tension between a mother’s instinct to protect her child and the limits of what she can know.
‘Nandini Speaks Very Little’: Shriya on Expressing Emotions Through Her Eyes
One of the challenges of playing Nandini is that the character does not explain her feelings through lengthy conversations. Instead, much of her emotional life emerges through facial expressions, body language and silence.
Shriya said director Abhishek Pathak envisioned Nandini as a woman who uses few words. That creative choice required the actor to communicate what the character was feeling without relying on dialogue.
She explained that scenes with fewer lines offer their own opportunities for expression, particularly through the eyes. While dialogue can help establish a character’s emotions, silence can also communicate fear, confusion, sadness and emotional exhaustion.
Shriya pointed to the line “dum ghut ta hai” — meaning “I feel suffocated” — as a phrase that captures something essential about Nandini’s state of mind.
Shriya Saran Recalls an Emotional Final Day on the Drishyam 3 Set
For Shriya, one of the most difficult moments came when she realised that Drishyam: The Conclusion might be her final opportunity to play Nandini.
She recalled looking around the set, particularly at the dining table where the family had shared a final meal and filmed a scene of everyone singing together. The familiar surroundings carried the weight of the years she had spent with the character and the people who brought the franchise to life.
“It was hard. It was a heavy feeling, you know, like this is it, this is the end,” Shriya said in the interview.
Alongside the sadness, however, she felt a sense of fulfilment because the team believed they had made a good film. The uncertainty of whether the characters would ever return made the experience especially emotional.
For an actor who has inhabited the same character across multiple films, saying goodbye can mean leaving behind not only a role but also a familiar creative world built over many years.
How Motherhood Changed Shriya’s Understanding of Nandini
Shriya also spoke about how becoming a mother influenced her connection with Nandini, particularly while filming Drishyam 2. At the time, her daughter, Radha, was around eight months old.
The actor recalled how supportive the production team was of her responsibilities as a new mother. In Goa, the shooting schedule was often planned around her daughter’s sleeping routine, and the team would send her home once her work for the day was finished.
Shriya said she has beautiful memories of being able to spend time with her daughter during that period.
Motherhood gave her a different perspective on Nandini’s emotions and the instinct to protect a child. The experience also added a personal dimension to a character whose story is deeply connected to family, fear and a parent’s determination to keep loved ones safe.
What to Know About Drishyam: The Conclusion
Directed by Abhishek Pathak, Drishyam: The Conclusion continues the story of the Salgaonkar family. Ajay Devgn returns as Vijay Salgaonkar, with Shriya Saran reprising her role as Nandini.
Tabu, Ishita Dutta and Mrunal Jadhav are also part of the returning cast, while Prakash Raj and Jaideep Ahlawat are among the reported new additions.
With the story returning to a family whose lives have been shaped by secrets, difficult choices and the need to protect one another, Shriya’s reflections offer a glimpse into the emotional work behind Nandini’s character.
Whether this film ultimately marks the end of her journey as Nandini or leaves room for another chapter, the experience has clearly been significant for the actor. After 11 years with the character, the prospect of saying goodbye brings both sadness and a sense of accomplishment.
