Haiwaan is a Hindi crime thriller that was helmed by veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan and starred Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The film will be released to theatres on September 11, 2026, which is the re-debut of Akshay and Saif after Tashan. The film is a blend of crime, suspense, action and emotional drama with the visually challenged Saif playing Shyam Rane and Akshay playing the darker Parshuram Gokhale. The film is also a remake of Malayalam horror thriller Oppam. Haiwaan had come with high expectations in anticipation of a strong cast and Priyadarshan’s direction.
Haiwaan Movie Overview
| Category | Information |
| Movie Name | Haiwaan |
| Release Date | 11 September 2026 |
| Starring | Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Rajpal Yadav, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Sharib hashmi |
| Writer | Priyadarshan |
| Director | Priyadarshan |
| Producer | Venkat K. Narayana. Shailaja Desai Fenn |
| Genre | Action, Crime, Thriller |
| Language | Hindi |
| Platform | Theatrical Release |
Cast and Crew
The most prominent aspect of Haiwaan is its lead cast—Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Akshay stars as Parshuram Gokhale, and Saif as Shyam Rane, a blind man who ends up playing a pivotal role in the film’s perilous fight. Shriya Pilgaonkar is Naina and Saiyami Kher is Inspector Varsha. Asrani and Mohanlal will make special appearances, with Boman Irani, Sharib Hashmi, and other performers making up the supporting cast.
The film is directed by Priyadarshan and has a screenplay by Priyadarshan, Abilash Nair and Rohan Shankar. Rohan Shankar’s name is also credited for the dialogues. The project is being produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn and supported by KVN Productions and Thespian Films. Pritam Chakraborty does the music, Divakar Mani the cinematography. The reunion of Akshay and Saif and Priyadarshan’s direction lend the project some of its star power.
Story and Plot
The film Haiwaan is about a visually challenged man, Shyam Rane, who finds himself caught up in a perilous situation with a criminal. Shyam is an able and resourceful person, though he is disabled, and the way he is presented is very unlike that of a typical crime-thriller hero. The film puts him in a predicament where trust, courage and survival is of utmost importance. The film’s core idea is similar to the Malayalam movie Oppam, but Haiwaan is remade for the Hindi-speaking audience.
Akshay Kumar’s Parshuram Gokhale is a darker version of the tale. His character is tied to the main criminal conflict of the movie and poses a big challenge for Shyam. The contrast between the supposed hero and villain plays a significant role in the story as it unfolds. The film creates suspense and tension in the context of crime and also through action and emotions.
The rest of the story also unfolds around Naina (Shriya Pilgaonkar) and Inspector Varsha (Saiyami Kher) gets into the case. The story also has a police aspect with the characters trying to figure out what’s going on and what is actually the crime. Action is not the only means of expression for Haiwaan which tries to blend in investigation, suspense and character-driven drama.
It’s a mystery as it continues and Shyam has to deal with situations beyond his control. The main conflict increasingly draws the characters closer and closer to a dangerous confrontation. Some of the performances and action has garnered praise from current reviews, but some have criticised the script, pacing and logic at parts of the story. The Indian Express review, for instance, termed the movie as an ‘ uneven mix of action, comedy, thriller and emotion’, and gave it 2/5.
Haiwaan Budget
Narrated by KVN Productions and Thespian Films, Haiwaan is set up as a relatively large-scale Hindi production. The total estimated cost of the film has been figured out to be around ₹130 crore, which comprises around ₹115 crore production cost and around ₹15 crore publicity and prints. This is however a reported estimate, and the budget figure may differ between industry reports, so there is no way of confirming that it is an official figure. These are the reasons that the film had a heavy investment as it included a big name cast, action scenes, the production needs and it was released nationwide.
Final Thoughts
With the much-anticipated reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, and the direction of Priyadarshan, Haiwaan is definitely an impressive offering. The novel has a few interesting features, such as its plot as a crime thriller, darker characters, and supporting performances. But early reactions have been mixed, and some particularly harsh on the screenplay, pacing and some scenes that were unrealistic. The film might still be a fun theatrical experience for those who appreciate a crime story with action, suspense and an emotional conflict. Haiwaan is well cast and has a great idea, but the problem seems to be the execution.
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