There was plenty riding on Haiwaan. Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan return together after 17 years, with Akshay playing ruthless psychopath Parshuram Gokhale and Saif playing visually impaired martial artist Shyam Rane. Add Priyadarshan, returning to the thriller genre with a Hindi remake of his own 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, and the film has an interesting combination on paper.
The central idea is strong. A man who cannot see has to outsmart a killer who appears to see everything. Sadly, the screenplay does not make enough of this unusual setup. The film takes almost an hour to properly become a thriller, while three songs before the interval make the first half feel even longer. The countryside setting looks good, but the tension takes too long to arrive.
Once the chase begins, Saif gives the film some much needed energy. Shyam is easily the more interesting character, and Saif brings restraint and vulnerability to the role. His blindness is also used in the action rather than simply being a character trait.
Akshay’s Parshuram, however, is a major missed opportunity. A psychopath played by Akshay could have been the film’s biggest strength, but the character rarely feels as dangerous as he should. Too often, Akshay is simply waiting for the screenplay to give him something to do.
The supporting characters and police subplots add to the runtime without consistently adding suspense. Humour also appears in scenes where the tension should be increasing, making the film unsure of its own tone.
The final Mohanlal connection, linking the characters Jayaraman, Ram and Shyam, feels more like a nod to Oppam than a satisfying dramatic payoff.
Haiwaan has a terrific premise and interesting casting, but the writing never turns those ingredients into the gripping thriller they could have created.
Movie: Haiwaan
Directed by: Priyadarshan
Based on Oppam (Malayalam) by: Priyadarshan
Featuring: Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Sharib Hashmi
Theatrical Release Date: 11 September 2026
Run Time: 2hrs 44mins