Haiwaan Trailer Review: Akshay Kumar Goes Full Monster Against Blind Saif Ali Khan In Priyadarshan’s Darkest Cat-And-Mouse Thriller
The wait is finally over, and Haiwaan has arrived with a trailer that makes one thing crystal clear this is not the Akshay Kumar audiences usually expect.
Directed by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan brings Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan together for a dark action thriller built around a dangerous cat-and-mouse game. While Saif plays a blind man caught in an increasingly deadly situation, Akshay steps into an unsettling and monstrous antagonist avatar.
The trailer immediately establishes a world filled with danger, mystery and psychological games, setting up what could be a very different theatrical outing for both stars. The film is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 11, 2026.
Haiwaan Trailer: Akshay Kumar Is The Real Monster
The biggest talking point of the Haiwaan trailer is undoubtedly Akshay Kumar.
Instead of playing the conventional hero, Akshay embraces a disturbing grey-to-dark character who appears unpredictable, violent and completely unhinged. His look, body language and performance are designed to create discomfort, and the trailer wisely keeps revealing just enough of his character without giving away the entire game.
This is perhaps the biggest USP of Haiwaan: Akshay Kumar as the threat rather than the saviour.
The actor's dark turn could give the film an entirely different flavour, particularly because audiences are accustomed to seeing him dominate the frame as the protagonist.
Saif Ali Khan Plays A Blind Man Fighting Back
On the other side is Saif Ali Khan, who takes on the role of a visually impaired protagonist.
His character may not have sight, but the trailer makes it clear that he is far from helpless. He is trying to piece together the mystery, protect the people he cares about and stay one step ahead of the danger surrounding him.
That creates the perfect foundation for the film's central conflict a man who cannot see versus a predator who wants to hunt him down.
The trailer uses Saif's blindness not merely as a character trait but as an important part of the suspense mechanism.
Priyadarshan Goes Dark
Haiwaan marks another collaboration between Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar, but the tone is considerably darker than the duo's popular comedy outings.
The filmmaker appears to be exploring a completely different space here, combining crime, suspense, action and psychological drama.
The trailer's atmosphere is consistently eerie, while the visuals and background score work together to create a sense of constant danger.
Rather than revealing the entire plot, the trailer focuses on establishing the characters and the central conflict which is exactly what a thriller trailer should ideally do.
Akshay Kumar vs Saif Ali Khan Is The Big Attraction
There is also the sheer curiosity of watching Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan share the screen again.
The two actors have previously worked together, but Haiwaan puts them on opposite sides of the conflict. Their reunion after several years gives the film an additional commercial hook, while the decision to cast them as hunter and hunted makes the pairing even more intriguing.
The trailer suggests that their confrontation will be driven as much by mind games as by physical action.
Haiwaan Cast Adds More Firepower
Apart from Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, the film features a strong supporting cast including Boman Irani, Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Sharib Hashmi in pivotal roles.
Rajpal Yadav, Rajesh Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Asrani and Jisshu Sengupta are also part of the ensemble, adding further depth to the film's world. Mohanlal is also expected to make a cameo appearance.
With such a large ensemble surrounding the two leads, Haiwaan clearly has ambitions beyond being a straightforward two-character thriller.
Haiwaan Trailer Looks Promising, But Word Of Mouth Will Be Crucial
The trailer does its job of establishing the premise and creating curiosity. The combination of Akshay's villainous turn, Saif's blind protagonist, Priyadarshan's direction and the film's dark atmosphere gives Haiwaan a distinct identity.
However, the real game will begin after release.
A thriller like this will ultimately depend heavily on audience word of mouth. If the suspense, twists and emotional core connect, the film could gain momentum beyond its initial opening.
That is also reflected in the early box-office outlook.
Haiwaan Box Office Prediction: Opening Day Looks Like ₹5-7 Crore
At this stage, Haiwaan appears to be tracking towards an opening-day collection in the ₹5-7 crore range.
The film is primarily relying on Akshay Kumar's star value for its initial pull, while the trailer and the unusual premise should help generate curiosity. Early tracking also places the first-day expectation in the same ₹5-7 crore bracket, with the potential for improvement if audience response is strong.
The important factor will be the word of mouth.
If audiences come out impressed by Akshay's menacing performance and the thriller elements, Haiwaan could see stronger collections through the weekend. If the film fails to deliver on its suspense quotient, the initial star-driven opening could remain limited.
Haiwaan: The Real Battle Begins On September 11
For now, Haiwaan has successfully created curiosity with its trailer.
Akshay Kumar as the monster. Saif Ali Khan as the blind man. Priyadarshan behind the camera.
That combination is enough to make the film one of the more intriguing Hindi releases of September.
The trailer promises a dark confrontation, but whether Haiwaan turns that promise into a genuine theatrical thriller will ultimately depend on the execution.
With an early opening-day expectation of ₹5–7 crore, the film has a reasonable starting point. But if the audience connects with the thriller, the real upside could come after Day 1.
Haiwaan releases in cinemas on September 11, 2026.
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Disclaimer: Box-office expectations mentioned in this article are early estimates based on current trade tracking and may change depending on advance booking, screen count, ticket pricing, audience response and spot bookings. Actual collections may vary.
