The trailer for Haiwaan is finally out, and it is a far cry from the light-hearted films usually associated with director Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar. Instead of comedy and colourful characters, this trailer pulls viewers into a dark world built around murder, revenge, fear, and psychological tension.
The film brings Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan back together for the first time since Tashan. This time around, though, they are standing on very different sides of the story. Akshay appears to be playing a dangerous, ruthless killer, while Saif takes on the role of a visually impaired man who ends up caught in a deadly situation.
Akshay Kumar Looks Terrifying as the Villain
The biggest surprise in this trailer is easily Akshay Kumar’s character. He is almost unrecognisable in several scenes, playing a violent man driven purely by revenge.
The trailer hints that his character has already murdered several families, making him a genuinely serious threat to both the public and the police. His unusual voice modulation and tightly controlled expressions only make the character feel more unsettling.
Akshay has taken on negative roles before, but Haiwaan seems to hand him a much darker one than usual. There is barely any of his familiar Khiladi-style charm here. Instead, he seems entirely focused on building genuine fear.
Saif Ali Khan Plays a Visually Impaired Hero
Saif Ali Khan brings a completely different energy to the film. He plays a visually impaired man who appears to have a strong tie to the mystery surrounding the killer.
The trailer shows him navigating difficult situations by leaning on his other senses and his own experience. He is not written as a helpless character. Instead, there is a quiet strength running through his performance that makes him genuinely interesting to watch.
His relationship with his young daughter also adds an emotional layer to the story. The earlier song “Mere Hero Hai Woh” gave audiences a softer glimpse of their bond, and the trailer now shows exactly how that peaceful life gets threatened.
A Dangerous Cat-and-Mouse Game
At its core, Haiwaan looks like a proper cat-and-mouse thriller. Akshay’s character is on a violent path, while Saif’s character slowly closes in on the truth.
The trailer wisely does not explain everything, which actually works in its favour. Plenty of questions remain about the killer, his motive, and the connection between these two lead characters.
The final stretch of the trailer gets particularly mysterious, with Akshay and Saif’s characters appearing to come face to face. The makers seem to be deliberately holding back some key details until the film actually hits theatres.
Priyadarshan Tries a Darker Style
Priyadarshan is best known to Hindi audiences for films built around comedy, chaos, and memorable characters. Haiwaan shows him working in a much darker space than usual.
The trailer has a genuinely gritty visual style, with dark locations, sharp editing, and a tense atmosphere throughout. The background score also plays a big part in building suspense.
This shift in mood is one of the more interesting aspects of the trailer. It will be worth seeing whether Priyadarshan can hold onto this tension across the entire film.
The Supporting Cast Adds More Mystery
Haiwaan also comes with a large supporting cast. Boman Irani plays a judge, while Saiyami Kher takes on the role of a police officer.
The film also features Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rajpal Yadav, Sharib Hashmi, Rajesh Sharma, Pahal Chaudhary, and Manoj Joshi in important roles. Their characters could add more depth to the investigation and the mystery at the centre of it all.
Having such a large ensemble cast also suggests the story might involve several characters tied to the crime and its investigation.
Haiwaan Is a Remake of Oppam
Haiwaan is an official Hindi remake of Priyadarshan’s 2016 Malayalam crime thriller Oppam. The original starred Mohanlal as a visually impaired man who gets pulled into a dangerous situation.
The Hindi adaptation keeps the core idea intact but hands the central roles to Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Mohanlal is also expected to make a cameo appearance in the Hindi version.
For anyone who has watched Oppam, this remake might offer a familiar story dressed up with a new cast and presentation. For those who have not seen the original, the trailer suggests the film can hold up as a suspenseful thriller on its own merits.
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan Reunite
Another major draw here is the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The two have shared the screen before in films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Keemat, Aarzoo, and Tashan.
Their return in Haiwaan feels especially interesting because their characters seem to be in direct conflict this time. That means their chemistry here will look very different from the playful dynamic audiences remember from their earlier films together.
Haiwaan Release Date
Haiwaan is set to release in cinemas worldwide on September 11, 2026. The film is directed by Priyadarshan and produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn under KVN Productions and Thespian Films.
The screenplay is credited to Priyadarshan, Abilash Nair, and Rohan Shankar, with Rohan Shankar also handling the dialogues. Divakar Mani has done the cinematography, while Stunt Silva and Ravi Thyagarajan designed the action sequences.
Related Article: Haiwaan Teaser Review
The Haiwaan trailer works well precisely because it does not give too much away. It offers just enough to understand the basic conflict while keeping the bigger questions firmly open.
Akshay Kumar’s genuinely sinister performance is the trailer’s biggest highlight, while Saif Ali Khan’s visually impaired character brings a different kind of intensity to the mix. Add in Priyadarshan’s darker treatment, a strong supporting cast, and a genuinely mysterious storyline, and Haiwaan has all the right ingredients for an engaging thriller.
The real test will be whether the film can hold onto this tension for its full runtime. If it manages to deliver on the mood and mystery this trailer has set up, Haiwaan could give Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan fans a genuinely different kind of reunion on September 11.