The only reason Ajay Devgan agreed to do the film was because his home production Shivaay got delayed. This gave him 3 free months.Seeing that he was not busy, the producers approached Ajay and promised him the film would be completed in 12 weeks.
The movie is inspired by the original Malayalam version of the movie, written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. As a possible tribute to him, when Ajay Devgan's character makes an entry in a hotel register, he signs his name as Jitu Joseph.
Shriya Saran (Nandini), who is the mother of Anju (Ishita Dutta), is only 8 years older than Ishita in real life.
This Bollywood movie is a remake of the original Mohanlal-starred Malayalam movie of the same name which holds the box office record for the second highest grossing Malayalam movie ever.
Some of Drishyam's plot is similar to the Japanese novel 'The Devotion of Suspect X' by Keigo Higashino. Ekta Kapoor, who acquired the rights of this novel in India, sent a legal notice to the makers of the Malayalam movie.