Haiwaan (2026) Review!!

Synopsis – Follows a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between a visually impaired protagonist and a ruthless killer.

My Take – While filmmaker Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar finally reunited a few months back with the horror comedy Bhooth Bangla (2026), their latest collaboration, however, ventures into darker territory: Kumar plays a vengeful serial killer who, after eliminating his intended targets, sets his sights on a vulnerable preadolescent girl. His hunt leads him to an unlikely adversary in the form of a blind man portrayed by Saif Ali Khan, reuniting with Kumar for the seventh time. Despite his lack of sight, Khan’s character proves remarkably adept at defense, setting the stage for a tense confrontation.

True to Priyadarshan’s style, this film is a remake: an adaptation of Oppam (2016), originally starring Malayalam legend Mohanlal. Co-written with Rohan Shankar and Abilash Nai, the Hindi version trades the grounded realism of the original for a glossier, more dramatic Bollywood flavor, and blends humor, emotion, and suspense into what aims to be a sensory thriller.

Yet, while the premise holds promise, the execution falters. The near scene-to-scene replication of Oppam, predictable twists, and a sagging second half prevent it from becoming a truly gripping ride. Though not without its moments, the film depends heavily on Khan and Kumar to inject energy into the narrative, with their face-offs delivering some unforgettable moments.

But while some strong technical work adds polish, the uneven screenplay and cluttered subplots weigh it down. Ultimately, it lands as a decent one-time watch that is engaging in parts, but never reaching its true potential.

The story follows Shyam Rane (Saif Ali Khan), a blind man whose heightened senses of smell and hearing have transformed his disability into a formidable strength. Balancing lives as a part-time wrestler, music teacher, and building manager, Shyam oversees a residential society populated by eccentric staff and tenants — Hussain (Asrani), Naina (Shriya Pilgaonkar), and retired Judge Pradhan (Boman Irani).

For years, Shyam has been the judge’s trusted confidant, even serving as guardian to Pradhan’s daughter Nandini (Pahal Chaudhary), who lives away at boarding school. Pradhan, however, carries the weight of a devastating past: a flawed judgment that wrongfully convicted a man (Akshay Kumar) of rape, a verdict that drove the accused’s family to tragedy and left him confined to a mental institution. Haunted by guilt, Pradhan entrusts Shyam with protecting his daughter. But when the judge is murdered, suspicion falls on Shyam himself — even as the true killer lurks in the shadows, preparing for his next strike.

The premise sets up a sharp clash between a blind man navigating danger and a predator who thrives on fear. Here, director Priyadarshan crafts several tense moments, with Shyam racing to protect Nandini while evading the police. His heightened senses allow the director to experiment with sound, space, and movement, adding texture to the chase. The background score amplifies urgency, especially when Shyam is cornered and forced to rely on instinct.

However, the film falters under a weak, uneven screenplay. The larger issue is an indecision, as the film never settles on the kind of thriller it wants to be. The first half crawls until the murder investigation gains traction, while random deaths and side stories dilute focus. Characters like Nandini, Naina, Nilofar, and her child feel underdeveloped, serving more as clutter than dramatic purpose.

The wedding sequence epitomizes this imbalance — a grand celebration downstairs juxtaposed with violence upstairs, but instead of tension, it plays like a forced commercial set piece. Songs and comic interludes suffer the same fate. Additional backstories — Shyam’s sister Shraddha needing wedding funds, the maid’s shady brother, her violent ex-cop husband, Hussein’s comic mix-ups, and unexplained choices like Pradhan never meeting Nandini — only crowd the narrative further

Despite these flaws, the film sparks whenever the thriller elements take charge. Those moments may be scattered, but when they arrive, they work. What works most in the film’s favor is that Saif Ali Khan never attempts to imitate Mohanlal. Instead, he gives Shyam his own personality, grounding the character with gravitas and warmth. As a maintenance man navigating peril, Saif is completely in sync with the role, slipping into it with expertise and impact. His opening scenes with Nandini are especially affecting, and he sustains that ardent energy throughout.

Akshay Kumar impresses by holding back, resisting the urge to overplay menace. His dialogue delivery occasionally veers into loudness, and his presence in the first half is limited, but he grows more compelling after the interval. His screen presence ultimately outshines the writing behind him. Among the supporting cast, Boman Irani is pitch-perfect as the judge burdened by guilt and mortality.

Saiyami Kher is serviceable, Shriya Pilgaonkar delivers well, and Sharib Hashmi is fantastic despite playing a deliberately irritating character. Rajpal Yadav, Pahal Chaudhary, Rajesh Sharma, Suchitra Pillai, Manoj Joshi, and others contribute solidly.

And then there is Asrani. His final screen performance carries poignancy, but his scenes are memorable not for sentiment, rather for comic timing. He lands some of the film’s funniest moments with effortless precision, proving once again his mastery of rhythm. In a film weighed down by heaviness, his humor is a welcome relief. On the whole, ‘Haiwaan‘ is a reasonably engaging thriller anchored by strong lead performances, but undermined by uneven writing.