Priyadarshan‘s upcoming crime thriller ‘Haiwaan’, a remake of the Malayalam film ‘Oppam’, brings Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan together in roles that are very different from their usual screen appearances. The director has now revealed how Akshay Kumar came on board as the antagonist. He also recalled why both Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan initially found the casting difficult to believe.The film marks another collaboration between Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar. The duo has previously worked together on movies such as ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Khatta Meetha’. They reunited after a long gap with ‘Bhooth Bangla’. It was during the making of that movie that Akshay Kumar expressed interest in Priyadarshan’s next project.
Akshay Kumar wanted to play the antagonist
According to Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar himself suggested that he could take on the negative role in ‘Haiwaan’. However, the filmmaker did not immediately take the proposal seriously. He believed Akshay Kumar could be pulling another prank.“He has a habit of joking and pranking. So, when he said yes, I thought he was fooling me. I ignored and forgot about the whole conversation. That evening when he was leaving, he asked me, ‘Sir, did you consider what I told you?’ I asked him if he was serious about doing the film, and he said yes,” Priyadarshan told News18. The filmmaker said Akshay Kumar’s reputation for humour made him unsure about the actor’s intentions. He only realised that Akshay Kumar was serious when the actor followed up on the conversation later that day.
Saif Ali Khan also thought it was a joke
Saif Ali Khan was already locked for the central role when Akshay Kumar expressed interest in playing the antagonist. Priyadarshan revealed that Saif Ali Khan also struggled to believe the news.“When I told Saif that Akshay wants to play the antagonist, he didn’t believe it. He thought I was joking. He wanted to meet Akshay and hear it from the horse’s mouth.” Priyadarshan confirmed that Saif Ali Khan was finalised first. The actor was drawn to the opportunity to play a visually impaired character. He also wanted to portray a role he had never attempted before. “No. Saif was locked first. He wanted to play a blind man as he had never done it before in his career. He’s the main protagonist of the film,” states Priyadarshan.
Other actors had rejected the villain’s role
Akshay Kumar’s decision became even more surprising because Priyadarshan had already approached several other actors for the antagonist’s part. However, they declined the role. “I had approached actors not as big as Akshay, who refused this role. It’s their problem that they turned it down. I never asked them why. So, naturally, I thought Akshay also wouldn’t accept this character,” he says. The filmmaker said this experience made him assume that Akshay Kumar would also reject the part.
Akshay Kumar takes on a different side
Priyadarshan believes both Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are exploring characters they have not played before. The director said the roles allowed him to present both actors in a different light. “My two heroes are doing roles in Haiwaan they’ve never done before,” he says. Priyadarshan also highlighted the different kinds of characters Akshay Kumar has taken up in recent years. “They haven’t done too many negative roles. Even if they did, their characters in Haiwaan are something they haven’t tried their hands at before. I saw both of them in a different light. For example, I’ve been working with Akshay for so many years now, but I’m seeing a different version of him in his last seven-eight films. That’s why I experienced some exciting moments during the shoot,” he adds.
‘Haiwaan’ release date and cast
‘Haiwaan’ is directed by Priyadarshan and is scheduled to release on September 11, 2026. The Hindi-language crime thriller is an official remake of Priyadarshan’s 2016 Malayalam movie ‘Oppam’. The story follows a blind martial artist who becomes involved in protecting a young girl from a dangerous psychopath. Saif Ali Khan plays the blind protagonist, while Akshay Kumar portrays the antagonist. The cast also features Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal is also set to make a cameo appearance.
