Haiwaan poster. Photo: Wikipedia
Patna: Director Priyadarshan’s Hindi remake of his own 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, titled Haiwaan, released in theatres on September 11, 2026, with a U/A 16+ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification . The psychological action thriller reunites Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan on screen after 18 years, last seen together in the 2008 film Tashan .
The film runs for 164 minutes and is produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn under KVN Productions and Thespian Films .
Haiwaan features Saif Ali Khan as Shyam Rane, a visually impaired security manager and musician who becomes the protector of a young girl after her father is murdered . Akshay Kumar plays Parshuram Gokhale, a vengeful convict wrongly imprisoned years earlier by a retired judge, played by Boman Irani . The narrative follows Shyam’s efforts to shield the judge’s daughter, Nandini, from Parshuram’s path of retribution .
The supporting cast includes Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Sharib Hashmi, Rajpal Yadav, Rajesh Sharma, Pahal Chaudhary, Manoj Joshi, and Darshan Jariwala . Mohanlal, who starred in the original Oppam, makes a cameo appearance in the remake . Asrani appears in his final screen performance .
Priyadarshan shares screenplay credits with Abilash Nair and Rohan Shankar, who also wrote the dialogues . The technical team includes cinematographer Divakar Mani, production designer Sabu Cyril, action directors Stunt Silva and Ravi Thyagarajan, and composer Pritam .
Boman Irani said that Priyadarshan intentionally kept the cast from watching Oppam during production to avoid a scene-by-scene recreation . ‘Priyadarshan intentionally kept the cast from watching Oppam while they were working on Haiwaan,’ Irani said .
The trailer, released on August 26, 2026, presented Akshay Kumar’s character as a killer who had murdered seven families in a year, with Saif Ali Khan’s blind protagonist pursuing him . According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film recorded a gross of Rs 1.03 crore through advance bookings, with 44,176 tickets sold across 7,368 shows before release .
Critical reception to Haiwaan has been divided. DNA India rated the film 4 out of 5, describing Akshay Kumar’s performance as ‘easily one of the finest and darkest’ of his career and calling the film ‘one of finest movie of this year’ . The review noted that Saif Ali Khan ‘does not turn his character’s blindness into a regular trope, but add elements of wit, sharpness, and emotional vulnerability’ .
Other critics were less favourable. Zoom TV gave the film 2.5 stars, stating that Akshay Kumar’s antagonist ‘lacks the necessary intensity, often appearing exhausted rather than menacing’ and that Saif Ali Khan’s performance ‘feels more performative than grounded’ . The Hindustan Times described the film as an ‘uneven thriller’ that is ‘saved by its final act’ .
Outlook India criticised the screenplay for being unable to ‘decide what kind of thriller it wants to be,’ noting that the first half ‘moves painfully slowly’ and that the wedding sequence ‘feels awkwardly inserted into the narrative’ . The review praised Saif Ali Khan’s performance for giving Shyam ‘a physicality that doesn’t rely on exaggerated gestures’ while stating that ‘the film around him does not always know how to use that performance’ .
Times Now wrote that while the film is ‘technically brilliant and refreshing, the story and narrative pattern feel stale,’ noting that Priyadarshan ‘sticks loyally to Oppam’s story’ . The review stated that the film ‘needs Mohanlal to save the day’ .
Haiwaan marks Priyadarshan’s 98th film as director . It is his second release of 2026, following the horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla in April .
About the Author
