When Drishyam 2 arrived in cinemas in 2022, one supporting character became a talking point almost instantly. It was Laxmikant Gaitonde, the ruthless police officer who refused to let Vijay Salgaonkar’s case disappear. Played by Kamlesh Sawant, Gaitonde’s intimidating personality, sharp one-liners and obsession with the October 2 case made him one of the most memorable characters in the franchise. Now, four years later, the character is back.
With Drishyam: The Conclusion released in theatres on October 2, 2026, Kamlesh Sawant has once again reprised his role as Gaitonde. And this time, audiences have noticed a different side of the character. The cop remains determined to get closer to the truth, but the film also uses him as an important source of humour.
The result is that Gaitonde continues to stand out even in a film packed with established actors. Recent reviews have specifically praised Sawant’s contribution, with Cineales highlighted his comic timing and memorable moments.
Kamlesh Sawant Is Back As Gaitonde
For anyone who has followed the Drishyam franchise from the beginning, Gaitonde needs little introduction. He was the police officer who became suspicious of Vijay Salgaonkar and his family in the first film. His instincts told him that something did not add up, even when the available evidence failed to prove his suspicions.
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That cat-and-mouse battle became one of the strongest elements of Drishyam. Vijay kept finding ways to stay ahead, while Gaitonde continued to look for the missing piece. In Drishyam 2, their rivalry became even more personal. Gaitonde returned with the same determination, refusing to accept that the case was truly over.
Sawant’s performance played a major role in making that rivalry entertaining. His aggressive body language and delivery gave Gaitonde a distinct identity, while his one-liners quickly became popular with audiences.
Now, Drishyam: The Conclusion takes that character into his third chapter. Sawant remains the franchise’s constant police presence as Gaitonde once again finds himself on the trail of Vijay.
Gaitonde Has A Different Side In Drishyam: The Conclusion
One of the biggest changes in the latest film is the tone of Gaitonde. The first two films established him as a menacing and often intimidating officer. But Drishyam: The Conclusion allows the character to breathe a little more.
Writer Aamil Keeyan Khan recently explained why Gaitonde became funnier in the new film. He said that the investigative portions of the story were intense, so the character naturally became an avenue for humour.
“As a writer, I am completely in love with Gaitonde. He’s my most favourite character in the franchise. The whole Drishyam team, including Kamlesh Sawant ji, knows that I talk like Gaitonde half the time (laughs). So, it was very easy for me to write his lines.”
Khan also pointed out that Gaitonde should not simply be viewed as a villain. From his perspective, the officer is actually trying to solve a case that he believes has been manipulated.
That perspective adds another layer to Sawant’s performance. Gaitonde may be disliked by Vijay’s supporters, but he is also one of the few characters who consistently sees through the family’s carefully constructed story.
Audiences Still Love To Hate Gaitonde
One of the most interesting things about Kamlesh Sawant’s performance is the reaction he receives from audiences. The actor has previously spoken about receiving abusive messages and even being told by viewers that they wanted to hit Gaitonde. Rather than taking those reactions negatively, Sawant considers them a compliment.
In a recent interview, he revealed that people still approach him with strong reactions to the character. One woman reportedly told him she wanted to spit on his face but acknowledged that he had done a good job. Another said she felt like hitting him with a slipper, before praising his performance.
That is perhaps the biggest compliment an actor playing a grey or negative character can receive. The audience may hate the character, but they remember the actor behind him. Sawant himself has said that if people stop reacting strongly to Gaitonde, he would feel that he has not done his job properly.
From Khakee To Drishyam
Interestingly, Kamlesh Sawant’s association with police roles goes much further than Gaitonde. The 52-year-old actor made his Bollywood debut with Khakee in 2004, where he played a constable. He later appeared in films including Mumbai Meri Jaan, Right Yaaa Wrong, Force, Bhoothnath Returns and other projects, often portraying characters connected to law enforcement.
His Marathi career is equally significant. Sawant has worked extensively in Marathi cinema and television and has also been associated with theatre. However, it was Drishyam that gave him one of his most recognisable screen identities.
There is also an interesting connection with Khakee. Recent discussions around Gaitonde’s character have brought an old Khakee scene featuring Sawant back into the spotlight. The scene has been interpreted as adding context to the character’s long-standing frustration with Ajay Devgn’s screen persona, making fans look at Gaitonde’s obsession from another angle.
Kamlesh Sawant’s Gaitonde Remains A Franchise Favourite
What makes Gaitonde work is that he is not the conventional larger-than-life Bollywood police officer. He does not have the swagger of a Singham or the heroic image associated with star-driven cop films. He is simply persistent. He gets frustrated. He makes mistakes. He gets humiliated. He gets knocked down. But he keeps coming back. Like the Gaitone himself said in Drishyam: The Conclusion, “ye bade sahab log aate jate rahenge, sirf main hi is case me permanent hoon.”
That persistence has made Gaitonde an important part of the Drishyam identity. And in Drishyam: The Conclusion, Kamlesh Sawant has once again managed to make the character memorable. The film gives him more humour without completely losing the obsessive cop audiences know.
For an actor who once played a supporting character in a thriller led by Ajay Devgn, Tabu and Shriya Saran, Sawant has turned Gaitonde into a character audiences actively look forward to seeing.
Drishyam: The Conclusion may be the final chapter of Vijay Salgaonkar’s story, but Kamlesh Sawant’s Gaitonde has already secured his place as one of the franchise’s most unforgettable characters.
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