Haiwaan reunited Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan for the first time since Tashan, with Priyadarshan directing a dark thriller. Here are six facts about the film, from its Malayalam roots to its tough run in cinemas.
Haiwaan is Priyadarshan’s crime thriller starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, with Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher and Boman Irani in key roles. It opened in cinemas on 11 September 2026 and is widely reported to be a Hindi remake of the director’s 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam.
The reunion drew plenty of attention, but the box office did not follow. After four days the film had collected about ₹12.63 crore worldwide, one of the weakest starts of Akshay’s recent career.
Haiwaan at a glance
- Release date: 11 September 2026
- Director: Priyadarshan
- Cast: Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher and Boman Irani
- Producers: Venkat K Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn, with KVN Productions announcing the release
- Source film: Oppam (2016, Malayalam), widely reported as the original
- Opening day: about ₹3 crore nett in India
- Four-day total: ₹8.05 crore nett in India; ₹12.63 crore worldwide
1. Haiwaan reunites Akshay and Saif after nearly 18 years
When the shoot began in August 2025, Akshay wrote on Instagram that it was “great to be working with Saif after nearly 18 years”, as WION reported. Their last film together was Tashan in 2008.
The partnership goes back much further. The two starred together in 1990s films such as Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Yeh Dillagi and Tu Chor Main Sipahi, which made them one of Hindi cinema’s best loved double acts.
For many fans in the UAE who grew up on those films, the reunion was the main reason to look forward to this one.
2. Haiwaan has its roots in Oppam
Reports say the film adapts Oppam, the 2016 thriller Priyadarshan directed in Malayalam with Mohanlal as a blind caretaker who is framed for murder. The makers never made a formal remake announcement, but Priyadarshan has spoken openly about the connection.
In an interview with ThePrint days before release, he said he did not want Saif to copy Mohanlal because “imitation never works in acting”. He also revealed that Mohanlal agreed to a cameo in the Hindi film.
The teaser strengthened the case. It reveals Saif’s character as blind, the role Mohanlal played in the original, and Oppamwas also remade in Kannada as Kavacha in 2019.
The Hollywood Reporter India goes further and calls it the official remake, noting that Oppam was the third highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time when it was released. Its hero’s sharpened hearing and sense of smell drove many of its best scenes.
The film continues Priyadarshan’s long habit of reworking his Malayalam successes for Hindi audiences. The title itself translates as “beast”.
3. Akshay plays the danger
The teaser, which Akshay shared on Instagram in August 2026, sets up a cat and mouse game. Its tagline reads: “He hears the danger. I am the danger.”
That positions Akshay as the menace and Saif as the hero, a reversal of the image Akshay has built through years of action and comedy. Early reports had already described his part as the antagonist.
In Oppam, the killer was played by Samuthirakani as a quiet, patient figure. The Hollywood Reporter India’s comparison suggests the Hindi villain is louder and meaner, enlarged to suit Akshay’s star status.
4. It was announced at Lord’s and shot in five months
Priyadarshan announced the film in July 2025 with a post from Lord’s in London, shared during the third India and England Test. Filming began in August 2025 and wrapped in December 2025.
It is also a milestone for the director. The Hollywood Reporter India lists it as Priyadarshan’s 99th film, in a career that began in 1982.
KVN Productions revealed the release date on Instagram in late June 2026, a day after Welcome to the Jungle reached cinemas.
5. Haiwaan box office: a difficult start
The film opened to roughly ₹3 crore nett in India from 7,224 shows, with 11% occupancy, according to Sacnilk figures reported by Outlook India. That still placed it among the top 20 Hindi openings of 2026.
It then fell every day. By Monday it took ₹0.70 crore nett from 3,265 shows, under half its opening day count, as reported by The Week.
- India nett after four days: ₹8.05 crore
- India gross after four days: ₹9.63 crore
- Overseas gross after four days: ₹3 crore
- Worldwide after four days: ₹12.63 crore
The Week called it Akshay’s lowest four-day total since the pandemic, below Selfiee at ₹11.10 crore and Sarfira at ₹13.40 crore. Both of those films grew over their weekends, while this one did not.
6. Why Haiwaan struggled
Screens were the first problem. The Week reported that the film lost more than 1,400 screens over its opening weekend to Hanuman Ansh and Mirzapur: The Movie, both still drawing big crowds.
Genre was the second. Priyadarshan’s comedies with Akshay are much loved, but reports say this was his ninth flop among 11 non-comedy Hindi films.
The contrast with April was stark. Bhooth Bangla, the pair’s horror comedy, grossed about ₹247 crore only five months earlier, which suggests audiences want this team in comic mode.
Where to watch Haiwaan
No streaming date or platform had been announced at the time of writing. Viewers in the UAE should check local cinema listings for remaining shows, and look out for an OTT announcement in the coming weeks.
If you enjoyed Oppam, or want to see Akshay in a darker role, it is worth catching. The pairing with Saif remains the film’s strongest idea.
Haiwaan FAQs
Is Haiwaan a remake of Oppam?
It is widely reported as one. Saif plays the blind hero Mohanlal played in Oppam, and Mohanlal himself makes a cameo.
When did Haiwaan release?
It opened in cinemas on 11 September 2026.
How much did the film earn?
About ₹12.63 crore worldwide in its first four days, including ₹8.05 crore nett in India.
Look back at how the reunion came together in our reports on the film going on floors and the shoot wrap, and find more stories in our Bollywood section.