If you are new to Priyadarshan’s Bollywood movies, just know that they are mostly remakes of his own Malayalam projects and typically feature Akshay Kumar in the lead. Haiwaan, a remake of his 2016 film Oppam starring Mohanlal, is a scene-by-scene Hindi replica. The only real difference here is that the lead, played by Saif Ali Khan, gets a famous villain in Akshay Kumar to lock horns with, unlike the original.
A predictable plot
If you have already watched Oppam, save yourself the torture and skip Haiwaan. If you haven’t, prepare yourself for 2000s-style filmmaking coupled with terrible acting. The story revolves around Shyam Rane (Saif), a blind man who wears multiple hats to make ends meet for his sister’s marriage. He works as a security manager, martial arts instructor, music teacher for visually impaired students, and assistant to a retired judge (Boman Irani). His “superpowers” include a heightened sense of smell and incredible physical strength. Eventually, he learns that the judge has an illegitimate daughter, Nandini (Pahal Chaudhary), whom he keeps hidden from the public to protect her from his past.
In a flashback, it is revealed that the judge sentenced Parshuram (Akshay) to seven years in prison for a rape and murder case. Parshuram insisted he was innocent, but because the evidence was stacked against him, the judge had no choice but to convict him for seven years. The arrest brought immense shame to Parshuram’s family, leading his father to orchestrate a mass family suicide.
After serving his sentence, Parshuram goes on a rampage, killing the families of everyone involved in his trial. Fearing for his daughter’s life, the judge appoints Shyam as her guardian. Parshuram eventually gets his revenge on the judge and turns his focus toward finding the little girl, setting the stage for an unusual showdown between Shyam and Parshuram.
What went wrong?
To start with, this movie simply should not have been remade. The original starring Mohanlal was far from a masterpiece, but this version manages to be even worse. When a project boasts two superstars, you naturally expect above-average execution. Instead, Priyadarshan remains trapped in a style of filmmaking that has not evolved in over a decade. The movie lacks genuine thrill and fails to keep you engaged. You could walk away to grab popcorn in the middle of the film and not miss a single important detail.
Great actors, terrible performances
Reuniting on screen since Tashan (2008), both Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan appear completely detached from their roles right from the start. This is not a reflection of their true capability as actors, since both are well-known for commanding the screen when given the right material. In Haiwaan, however, their performances feel more like a rough rehearsal than a final cut. The dialogue delivery across the board, including supporting cast members Shriya Pilgaonkar, Sharib Hashmi, Saiyami Kher, and Rajpal Yadav, is cringe-worthy, making average school plays look brilliant by comparison. The only actors who made the film remotely bearable were the late Asrani, Boman Irani, and young Pahal Chaudhary.
Akshay attempts to project the image of a true Haiwaan – a beast that cannot be tamed, but comes across more like a psychopath with an unintentional comedic edge. Saif, playing a blind protagonist, lacks the emotional depth required for the audience to connect with his character or root for him. Pushing past a nearly three-hour runtime, watching this film felt like pure endurance, and its best moment was when the credits finally rolled.
Final verdict
Even if you go in with an open mind, this so-called thriller will leave you questioning its very purpose. It is high time that filmmakers and studios stop taking audiences for granted and that actors start choosing better scripts instead of butchering art for the sake of personal industry rapport.