Indian cinema has inspired filmmakers across the world, and one of the most interesting examples is the Chinese crime thriller Sheep Without A Shepherd. Released in 2019, the film is an official Chinese remake of the 2013 Malayalam thriller starring Mohanlal.
Directed by Jeethu Joseph, Drishyam became a major success because of its gripping story about a father who goes to extraordinary lengths to protect his family. The Malayalam movie was later remade in several Indian languages and also in Chinese language, where it received a new setting, cast and ending.
Chinese Movie Sheep Without A Shepherd Is An Official Remake Of Drishyam
Sheep Without A Shepherd, also known by its Chinese title Wu Sha (meaning "Manslaughter"), was directed by Sam Quah. The film stars Xiao Yang, Tan Zhuo and Joan Chen in the lead roles.
The basic premise remains similar to Drishyam. A father finds himself trying to protect his family after his daughter becomes involved in the accidental killing of a police officer's son. He then uses his knowledge of films and careful planning to create an alibi and mislead the investigation.
The Chinese film therefore retains one of the most important elements of Drishyam: the battle of wits between an ordinary family and the police.
How Is Sheep Without A Shepherd Different From Drishyam?
Although the story is based on Drishyam, the Chinese adaptation makes changes to suit its new audience and setting.
The original Malayalam film is set in Kerala and follows Georgekutty, played by Mohanlal. In the Chinese version, the characters and setting are changed, while the central story of family protection, deception and police investigation remains.
Interestingly, the Chinese film also uses Thailand as part of its setting, rather than simply transferring every part of the story directly to mainland China. There is also a difference in the ending, making Sheep Without A Shepherd more than a scene-by-scene copy of Drishyam.
Drishyam Became A Global Franchise
The popularity of Drishyam went far beyond Malayalam cinema. The original 2013 film was remade in Kannada as Drishya, Telugu as Drushyam, Tamil as Papanasam, Hindi as Drishyam and Sinhalese as Dharmayuddhaya. The Chinese Sheep Without A Shepherd became another major adaptation.
The Hindi version, starring Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran and Tabu, introduced the story to an even wider Indian audience. However, it is important to remember that the original Drishyam is the 2013 Malayalam film starring Mohanlal, not the 2015 Hindi remake.
ALSO READ: Drishyam 1 And 2 Recap: Vijay Salgaonkar’s Biggest Secrets Explained Before Drishyam 3’s Mystery
Sheep Without A Shepherd Was A Big Box-Office Success
The Chinese remake was also commercially successful. It was released in mainland China on December 13, 2019, and reportedly, according to Xinhua Net, crossed 1 billion yuan at the Chinese box office within weeks. Xinhua reported that the film earned 355 million yuan in its opening week.
The film eventually became one of the notable Chinese box-office successes of 2019. Sources have reported its worldwide gross at around US$190 million, showing how far the story travelled from its original Malayalam roots.
Now, Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 3 is set to hit theatres tomorrow on October 2, 2026.
FAQs
Q1. Is Sheep Without A Shepherd based on Drishyam?
Yes. Sheep Without A Shepherd is an official Chinese remake of the 2013 Malayalam film Drishyam, directed by Jeethu Joseph.
Q2. Who directed Sheep Without A Shepherd?
The Chinese film was directed by Sam Quah.
Q3. Who starred in the original Drishyam?
Mohanlal played Georgekutty in the original 2013 Malayalam film, alongside Meena, Ansiba Hassan and Esther Anil.