Haiwaan is a Hindi crime thriller film that was directed by Priyadarshan and produced by Shreya Talpade, starring Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali khan and Ayo Aditya in the lead. The film was released in theaters on 11th October 2026 and stood out as a significant reunion for Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan after 17 years, as they appeared together in the movie. The movie is also the second time that Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan, the filmmaker actor duo have collaborated on successful films.
The movie is a crime, thriller, action, mystery and a bit of comedy. It is also a Hindi remake of Priyadarsha’s Malayalam film Oppam (2016). Akshay and Shyam Rane are played by Shyam as a visually challenged society maintenance officer and Parshuram Gokhale as a vicious murderer for revenge.
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 |
Haiwaan Cast and Crew
The lead cast of the movie is Parshuram Gokhale, played by Akshay Kumar. As the narrative unfolds, his character becomes a more and more dangerous and revengeful killer. The role will allow Akshay to break from his more iconic roles and play a darker screen person.
Visually challenged society maintenance officer Shyam Rane, played by Saif Ali Khan ends up embroiled in a murder mystery. Shyam’s heightened senses and knowledge of his surroundings becomes important to his attempts to survive and protect the young girl at the centre of the story. The supporting cast compromises Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Sharib Hashmi, Rajpal Yadav, Asrani, Rajesh Sharma and Manoj Joshi’s special appearances, with Mohanlal in charge of Mohanlal
Casting members and their character:
| Casting | Character |
| Akshay Kumar | Parshuram Gokhle |
| Saif Ali Khan | Shyam Rane |
| Boman Irani | Judge Pradhan |
| Rajpal Yadav | Auto Driver Chandu |
| Shirya Pilgaonkar | Naina |
| Shayami Kher | Inspector Versha |
| Sharib Hashmi | Senior Inspector Ashok Shinde |
Haiwaan Story and Plot
In Haiwaan, visually impaired man Shyam Rane is the central figure whose kite-flying talent for perceiving his environment through his special senses becomes the key to the story. With ordinary life, Shyam gets entangled in a dangerous situation with Judge Pradhan and his daughter. After a violent encounter turns everything upside down, Shyam is tasked with saving the young girl, but he is also drawn into a murder investigation. Though he still has no sight, his blindness is not his weakness, but an unusual strength as he uses the other senses to navigate, to decipher what is happening around him, to remember and to listen.
The central figure of the story is the ruthless and revengeful Parshuram Gokhale (Akshay Kumar). Parshuram is related to Judge Pradhan’s history and embarks on a perilous journey which gets him into a conflict with Shyam. As the danger increases, Shyam will need to be on his guard and keep the girl safe. The situation gets very tense as the two men play a game of cat-and-mouse with each other, with the police investigation adding to the mystery and suspense.
The struggle intensifies as Haiwaan prepares for its final act with revenge, murder, protection and survival all coming into play. Shyam’s special powers are essential as he strives to uncover the truth and face the threat that threatens him. In the meantime, Parshuram continues his relentless pursuit, bringing the drama to a head. Director Priyadarshan helms the film which has been adapted from the Malayalam film Oppam and features a cast of unusual characters – a feeble looking hero versus a powerful and dangerous antagonist in the form of a crime, thriller, action and emotional tale.
Haiwaan Movie Budget
As per available reports, the budget of Haiwaan is approximately ₹100-=115 Cr which includes the movie’s production and promotional costs. The film has been rated as a fairly expensive Bollywood thriller due to the star cast, large production, action scenes and technical issues of the movie. The Movie was aptly helmed by the duo of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan and was directed by Priyadarshan, thus having all the ingredients that would make it a good performer at the box office. But, the final commercial success of the film will depend on the positive and negative feedbacks from the audiences and the box-office collections after its theatrical release.
Final Thoughts
Altogether, Haiwaan combines an interesting crime-thriller narrative, stellar talent and a couple of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reuniting. One of the most unique aspects of this film is its unique protagonist and its unique cat and mouse comedy. Priyadarshan’s direction brings some experience to the thriller, the acting/plot has a few great moments. While the screenplay and direction might not be everyone’s cup of tea, it’s a good watch for Bollywood film buffs and the stars involved. The movie has a different feel to it as it’s not a typical Bollywood entertainer, it’s filled with mystery, action, revenge and emotional drama.
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