In 2016, when the Malayalam film Oppam was released, director Priyadarshan was keen to adapt it for the Hindi audience. It has taken the filmmaker almost nine years to see that dream finally materialise. Saif Ali Khan and he were in talks for almost a year before it became official. In May, mid-day had reported that the film, the rights of which were acquired by Khan, was to go on floors by year-end (Round two of blind man’s bluff, May 3). For the role opposite Khan, the director initially had three contenders — Akshay Kumar, Akshaye Khanna, and Bobby Deol. However, Kumar clinched the deal with whom Priyadarshan also has Bhooth Bangla and Hera Pheri 3.
(From left) Meenakshi and Mohanlal in Oppam
The remake, now titled i, is finally set to go on floors next month in Cochin. “While Saif plays a visually challenged caretaker who is an expert in Kalaripayattu, Akshay, the antagonist, will be seen as a ruthless, cold-blooded killer out to avenge his family. While distinctive, both actors will sport a moustache and stubble to give off a raw, rugged, and real vibe. [Actors for the] characters of a retired Supreme Court chief justice and his daughter are yet to be cast,” informs a source. For the unversed, Oppam follows the story of Jayaraman (played by Mohanlal), a visually impaired man with an acute sense of smell, hearing, and touch. When a retired judge is killed by a man he had once wrongfully imprisoned, Jayaraman steps up to protect the judge’s daughter from the vengeful killer.
While the Malayalam movie was written by Govind Vijayan, Priyadarshan, who had then penned the screenplay, has adapted and written the Hindi version to give it a pan-India appeal. “He started work on the script and screenplay for its adaptation last year, and it is now ready. Given the high-octane action scenes, Akshay and Saif need a lot of time to prep for their roles, including hand-to-hand combat and martial scenes,” shares the insider. Kumar is a well-trained martial artist with a black belt in Taekwondo, and has learnt Muay Thai and Karate. To match the intensity of his opponent, Khan is training extensively in Kalaripayattu.
Priyadarshan
“The shooting will kick off with Saif on August 23 in Cochin, after which Akshay will join the Haiwaan team. After a month, they will shift to Mount Abu [Rajasthan], Vagamon [a village in Kerala], and finally wind up in Mumbai. It’s basically a cat-and-mouse chase game between Saif and Akshay,” adds the source. Interestingly, Haiwaan marks Khan and Kumar’s reunion, 17 years after their last film, Tashan (2008), and Khan’s first collaboration with the filmmaker.
Did you know?
The film Oppam is reportedly based on Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear (1991), which was a remake of the 1962 film, based on the 1957 novel The Executioners by John D MacDonald