Haiwaan Movie Review: Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s Reunion Fails to Save the Film

Haiwaan Movie Review: Bollywood has explored the conflict between humans and monsters countless times, and Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan attempts to give the familiar concept a fresh treatment. The film is inspired by the 2016 Malayalam movie Oppam. Saif Ali Khan plays Shyam, a visually impaired man caught in a dangerous situation, while Akshay Kumar portrays Parshuram, a ruthless and violent antagonist. Although the story stays fairly close to the original, the Hindi adaptation fails to create the same impact.

Priyadarshan often draws a clear line between his heroes and villains while mixing humour into otherwise serious stories. This approach has worked particularly well in his comedies, where exaggerated situations and performances are part of the entertainment. However, Haiwaan frequently shifts between genres, making its overall tone feel inconsistent.

The film begins with an innocent man being framed for murder and sent to prison. As the story progresses, it gradually turns into a police investigation. Instead of building sustained tension, however, several developments feel overly exaggerated and, at times, unintentionally amusing.

Haiwaan Movie Review: When the Action Ignores Logic

One of the film’s biggest weaknesses is its lack of convincing logic. Several action sequences require the audience to overlook basic realism.

In one scene, multiple police officers attempt to overpower Shyam after he has already been badly injured and restrained. Yet, despite his condition and visual impairment, he manages to defeat them single-handedly.

There is nothing wrong with giving an action hero extraordinary abilities, but Haiwaan struggles to make these moments believable. While audiences are generally willing to suspend disbelief during action films, the movie crosses that line repeatedly, making some of its supposedly thrilling sequences feel artificial rather than exciting.

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s Pairing Feels Underwhelming

The reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan was expected to be one of the film’s biggest attractions. Given their previous collaborations, there was plenty of anticipation surrounding their return to the screen together. Unfortunately, Haiwaan does not make the most of that opportunity.

Saif’s Shyam is at the centre of the story. His character can play several musical instruments, relies on a walking cane in his daily life and, despite being visually impaired, is capable of taking on dangerous criminals. Akshay’s Parshuram, in contrast, is positioned as a violent and intimidating villain.

Both actors put effort into their respective roles, but the screenplay doesn’t give their characters enough depth or consistency. The film constantly moves between serious thriller territory and light-hearted humour, which ultimately weakens the impact of their performances.

Boman Irani Provides Some Stability

Among the cast, Boman Irani delivers one of the more grounded performances. He plays a troubled judge who is carrying a secret from his past. His character gives the opening portion of the film some much-needed emotional weight.

Shyam works as the supervisor of the building where the judge lives and knows the property extremely well. Although he cannot see, his other senses are highly developed, particularly his sense of smell. This ability turns him into an important witness to a murder.

It is one of the more interesting ideas in the film and could have formed the foundation of an engaging mystery. Unfortunately, the subsequent screenplay doesn’t fully capitalise on the premise.

The movie also introduces several supporting characters and their individual storylines. Shriya Pilgaonkar plays a domestic worker dealing with domestic abuse and complicated family circumstances, including a brother who is hiding from the authorities. These subplots add more layers to the narrative but often feel loosely connected to the central story.

The supporting cast also features Sharib Hashmi as a hot-headed police officer and Rajpal Yadav as an autorickshaw driver who makes recurring appearances. Saiyami Kher plays an intelligent police officer, although her investigative abilities are not given enough room to develop. Suchitra Pillai appears as a strict nun who runs a boarding school.

Haiwaan Movie Review: More Confused Than Thrilling

Priyadarshan has a knack for bringing multiple characters and seemingly disconnected storylines together in chaotic yet entertaining climaxes. Haiwaan attempts something similar, but the formula doesn’t work as effectively here.

The film has all the basic ingredients of a thriller—a murder mystery, a police investigation, an unusual protagonist and a dangerous villain. However, an uneven screenplay, inconsistent tone and exaggerated action sequences significantly reduce its overall impact.

Verdict: Haiwaan has an intriguing premise, and the Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan pairing initially raises expectations. Unfortunately, a weak screenplay and uneven execution prevent the film from becoming a compelling thriller. Several serious moments unintentionally veer into comedy, making the movie less gripping than it should have been. Overall, Haiwaan falls short of expectations and ends up feeling more like a miss than a hit.