Haiwaan is finally coming out, and it has been a dark, intense thriller with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan playing such very different roles. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film has the promise of playing cat and mouse as Saif plays a visually impaired man and Akshay as a ruthless serial killer.
The bigger talking point of the trailer is probably Akshay Kumar's transformation. With Haiwaan, the superstar straddles comedy, action and drama and turns darkly into something very dangerous. In contrast to his comic outing Welcome to the Jungle, Akshay's menacing look is a huge change of pace.
His look, body language and intense expressions instantly establish that he is dangerous. The trailer gives us enough of the serial killer that Akshay is playing a negative role with a lot of passion. His cold screen presence creates an unsettling atmosphere and is one of the main attractions of the promotional material.
At the same time, I think the trailer could have played up Akshay’s villainous side even further. But given the potential of the character, it would have been nice to show him more darkly; a more aggressive glimpse of his darker side might have made things much bigger. Nevertheless, the glimpses are enough to incite a lot of interest in how he plays out in the film.
Haiwaan is based on Priyadarshan's acclaimed Malayalam thriller Oppam, which starred Mohanlal as the lead actor. But the director has maintained that the Hindi film is not a scene-by-scene remake of the original. Several changes have been made to adapt the story and its characters for Hindi-speaking audiences.
The basic idea has remained intriguing. Saif Ali Khan’s visually impaired character finds himself in an unsafe scenario with Akshay Kumar’s aggressive character. The trailer establishes the contrast between the two main characters and heightens my hope for Saif’s character to fight and survive.
Saif’s role also adds an interesting dimension to the thriller. Playing a visually impaired protagonist puts the actor on the ground to perform, body language and emotional expression rather than action-hero qualities. His character is shown in the trailer in trouble as he faces the adversary, and the action is very violent.
Priyadarshan, who has directed movies in different languages and genres, returns with Haiwaan, a thriller. His background in suspense-based storytelling makes this project particularly interesting, especially given the strong source material behind it.
Another element adding to the excitement is the special cameo by Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. Haiwaan is inspired by Oppam, and Mohanlal’s cameo is something that might be of special interest to fans familiar with the original film. Details about his cameo are not revealed, and so it could surprise people.
Overall, the Haiwaan trailer looks like a sleek and suspenseful thriller with two contrasting characters. Saif Ali Khan's visually impaired protagonist is the emotional and dramatic heart of the trailer, but Akshay Kumar's sinister serial killer avatar seems to be the major attraction.
Akshay will also have to try a different genre in the film; Akshay has been playing different roles in his career for a long time, so this kind of movie will be a new one, as he has tried to do his best and see the person he is, but not as a good actor.
As the trailer now stirs up curiosity, the film will soon make its way to the cinemas. Haiwaan will be released on September 11, 2026. If it can deliver on its trailer’s suspense and intensity, Akshay-Saif’s clash with the movie will be one of its greatest strengths.
For now, the trailer is a good start to the film, with Akshay Kumar’s menacing transformation being the obvious highlight. Haiwaan will be the real test, though, of whether it can turn the promising setup into a great thriller when it gets into theatres.
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