Haiwaan Box Office Day 3: Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan Thriller Turns Disastrous, Weekend Fails To Rescue The Film
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's Haiwaan has failed to find any real momentum at the box office, with the Priyadarshan-directed thriller recording a disastrous weekend despite the release benefiting from the star reunion.
The film, which arrived in cinemas on September 11, opened to a muted response and has failed to show the kind of growth expected from a theatrical release featuring two major Bollywood stars. After a modest opening and a limited jump on Saturday, Sunday has brought another setback.
Early trade tracking suggests Haiwaan has collected around ₹1.85–2 crore on Day 3, taking its three-day India net total to roughly ₹7.35 crore.
The numbers are particularly disappointing considering the film brings Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan together after 17 years, with Priyadarshan returning with a thriller built around a promising premise.
No Weekend Boost For Haiwaan
A weekend is traditionally the biggest opportunity for a film with a slow opening to recover.
Haiwaan hasn't been able to capitalize on it.
The film collected around ₹2.50 crore on Saturday, before dropping to approximately ₹1.85 crore on Sunday according to current trade estimates. That represents a roughly 26% decline on Day 3, instead of the strong Sunday growth the film desperately needed.
The overall occupancy has remained weak, with the Hindi 2D version recording around 17% occupancy on Sunday in the latest reported figures.
For a film carrying this level of star power, these numbers underline the disconnect between pre-release expectations and audience interest.
The Problem Started With Weak Advances
The warning signs were visible even before Haiwaan opened.
The film's advance booking remained low, leaving it heavily dependent on walk-ins and positive word of mouth. Once the film opened, however, the response failed to generate the momentum required to turn that situation around.
Instead, the weak occupancy continued through the weekend.
This is particularly damaging for a thriller because the genre relies heavily on audience recommendations. A strong word-of-mouth response could have transformed Haiwaan from a slow starter into a weekend performer.
That simply hasn't happened.
Losing Screens Adds To The Pressure
The situation has become even tougher with strong competition from Hanuman Ansh and Mirzapur: The Movie.
Reports indicate that Haiwaan has already lost around 1,400 screens to Hanuman Ansh as exhibitors respond to audience demand and screen utilization.
That creates a difficult situation for the film going into Monday.
With occupancy already low and competing titles generating stronger audience interest, Haiwaan now faces the possibility of a significant reduction in shows in the coming days.
Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan Reunion Fails To Translate Into Footfalls
The biggest disappointment is perhaps that the Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan reunion has not translated into box-office excitement.
The two actors last appeared together nearly 17 years ago, making their return one of the major selling points of Haiwaan.
But nostalgia alone couldn't bring audiences into theatres.
The film's reviews have also been mixed, with criticism directed towards its lengthy runtime, uneven screenplay and execution. The Indian Express, for instance, described the film as struggling with its script and tonal balance.
For Haiwaan, the combination of weak pre-release advances, an underwhelming opening and limited word of mouth has proved extremely damaging.
What Next For Haiwaan?
The immediate target is now simply to stabilize.
With the three-day total hovering around ₹7–8 crore net, the film has a long road ahead even to reach respectable theatrical territory.
The Monday hold will be crucial, but the weekend trend hasn't provided much confidence.
The film needed a strong Saturday-Sunday acceleration to change its fortunes. Instead, it has remained stuck in low-occupancy territory while competing releases continue to command stronger audience attention.
At this stage, Haiwaan is no longer fighting for a big opening.
It is fighting to stay on screens.
And with exhibitors already reallocating shows towards stronger performers, the coming week could become even more challenging.
Haiwaan Day 3 India Net: ₹1.85–2.00 crore approx.
3-Day India Net: ₹7.35 crore approx.
Verdict: Disastrous theatrical start
Figures are based on current trade estimates and may vary from final distributor/producer figures.
