The highly anticipated reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in the crime thriller Haiwaan has met with a lukewarm reception at the box office. The film, directed by Priyadarshan, opened to a modest ₹3 crore on its first day, signaling a challenging road ahead, especially with limited advance bookings and mixed early reviews.
Haiwaan's Disappointing Debut
Marking the first on-screen pairing of Kumar and Khan since 2008's Tashan, Haiwaan recorded an overall theatrical occupancy of just 12.42% on its opening day, according to film trade portal Sacnilk. This figure places it among Akshay Kumar's lowest openers in the post-COVID era, behind titles such as Sarfira (₹2.40 crore), Selfiee (₹2.55 crore), Bell Bottom (₹2.70 crore), and Mission Raniganj (₹2.80 crore).
Trailing Behind the Competition
The film's tepid start means it lags considerably behind other releases currently dominating the box office. Hanuman Ansh, now in its 36th day, has impressively crossed the ₹200 crore mark in India, with its total domestic net collection reaching ₹173.63 crore and gross collections at ₹205.15 crore. Similarly, Mirzapur: The Movie continues its strong run, having surpassed ₹150 crore domestically. The Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal-starrer has accumulated ₹157.45 crore in net domestic earnings and ₹187.55 crore in gross collections, with its worldwide box office standing at ₹225.55 crore.
About the Film
Haiwaan is a remake of the 2016 Malayalam thriller Oppam, which featured Mohanlal in the lead role. The story centers on a blind caretaker who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, framed for the death of a retired judge, while a vengeful killer hunts for the judge’s hidden daughter. Beyond Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, the film boasts a strong ensemble cast including Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Sharib Hashmi, and Jisshu Sengupta.