Haiwaan: Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's dark suspense thriller

 For Bollywood fans, whenever director Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar, and Saif Ali Khan's film Tik Tok is mentioned, memories of "Man Khiladi Tu Anari," "Yeh Dillagi," or Priyadarshan's timeless comedy films come to mind. However, "Haiwaan," which hits theaters in September 2026, isn't intended to make you laugh, but rather to transport you into a dark, dangerous, and suspenseful thriller.

This film is the official Hindi remake of Priyadarshan's own 2016 blockbuster Malayalam film "Oppam." While South superstar Mohanlal breathed life into "Oppam," Saif Ali Khan has taken on this responsibility in Hindi cinema, and Akshay Kumar plays the villain.

In this detailed blog review, let's discuss the story of "Haiwaan," the cast, the direction, and whether the film lived up to audience expectations.

The story of the film (Plot Summary)

The story of 'Haiwaan' revolves around Shyam Rane (Saif Ali Khan), who is blind. However, despite this physical disability, his other senses are so sharp that he can sense the activities around him better than normal people. Shyam works as a maintenance and security guard in a high-profile apartment.

Retired Judge Pradhan (Boman Irani) lives in the same apartment. Judge Pradhan and Shyam share a deep and intimate relationship. Judge Pradhan is grappling with a dark truth and fear from his life. Years ago, due to a wrong decision he made, the family of a man named Parshuram Gokhale (Akshay Kumar) became entitled to the punishment and he was imprisoned. After being released from prison, Parshuram is burning with the fire of vengeance and has only one aim: to kill Judge Pradhan and his innocent daughter (Pahal Chaudhary).

The twist in the story comes when Judge Pradhan is brutally murdered inside his apartment. Because Shyam was present at the scene and is blind, the police and law enforcement consider him the prime suspect. Shyam now faces a dual challenge:

Prove his innocence and

Provoke Judge Pradhan's daughter to the mad, ruthless "monster" known as Parashuram.

While the police are after Shyam, Parashuram is stalking the girl like a shadow. The film's central thriller is how an ordinary man without eyes confronts a ruthless killer.

Acting and Character (Cast Performance)

Saif Ali Khan (Shyam Rane):

Saif Ali Khan has fully embraced the role of a blind man. Comparisons to Mohanlal's iconic running style were inevitable, but Saif left no stone unturned. His body language, expressionless eyes, and the balance of helplessness and strength in suspenseful scenes are matchless.

Akshay Kumar (Parshuram Gokhale):

Seeing Akshay Kumar as a dark, negative, and psychopathic villain after a long time is a different experience for audiences. Akshay's screen presence as Parashuram is aggressive. However, in some scenes, his performance feels a bit over-the-top. While the villain's fear in the original film was instilled by his silence, Akshay's character is full of screams and action.

The film boasts a strong supporting cast. Sayami Kher and Priya Pilgaonkar as Inspector Varsha Joshi deliver a decent performance. It's emotional to see veteran actor Asrani (who completed shooting for the film before his passing) on ​​screen. Despite the presence of excellent actors like Rajpal Yadav and Sharib Hashmi, the screenplay doesn't leave much room for them.

Priyadarshan has considerable experience making thrillers (like "Bhool Bhulaiyaa"). In "Haiwaan," he has created a superb visual atmosphere. He uses shadows and silhouettes to create a thrilling atmosphere. However, the film's long runtime of 2 hours and 44 minutes becomes its biggest weakness. The first half is quite slow, and the story is dragged down by unnecessary subplots.

Cinematography and Background Score:

The film's cinematography (Diwakar Mani) and art direction (Sabu Cyril) deserve praise. The night scenes, the apartment streets, and the horror-thriller setup of the climax are cinematic. The background score builds tension according to the scenes, although it becomes too loud at times.

Strengths of the Film

Saif and Akshay's on-screen clash: Watching these two big stars of the 90s face off against each other is nostalgic and entertaining.Strengths of the film: Saif and Akshay's on-screen clash: It is nostalgic and entertaining to see these two big stars of the 90s facing off against each other. Climax Sequence: The last half hour of the film, where Andha Shyam saves the girl from Parashuram in a convent/haunted style building, is breath-taking. Cinematography: The camera work is excellent in setting the mood of the thriller film. Weaknesses of the film: Length and slow screenplay: This film of about three and a quarter hours gets sluggish in between. Comparison with the original film: If you have seen Mohanlal's 'Oppam', then 'Haivaan' will not be able to give you that much depth and suspense. While making the remake, the simplicity and horror of the original film has been replaced with Bollywood style action. Weak Music: The songs in Priyadarshan's films are always chartbusters, but the music of 'Haivaan' is very ordinary and hinders the story. Final Verdict 'Haiwaan' is a film that is brilliant in its concept and plot — "a blind man, an innocent girl and a ferocious beast" — but falls short of being a masterpiece due to weak writing and over-dramatic treatment. If you are a fan of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, and you love watching suspenseful catch-and-mouse games, then 'Haiwaan' is a must watch once in theaters or Can be seen on OTT. But if you are expecting perfection like 'Hera Pheri' or 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' from Priyadarshan, then perhaps this film will disappoint you a bit.

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