Priyadarshan felt Akshay Kumar was joking when he showed interest in playing the villain in ‘Haiwaan’; Even Saif Ali Khan ‘didn’t believe it’ | Hindi Movie News

Priyadarshan’s upcoming crime thriller ‘Haiwaan’, a remake of the Malayalam film ‘Oppam’, brings together Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in roles very different from their usual on-screen appearances. The director has now revealed how Akshay Kumar came on board as the antagonist. He also recalled why both Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan initially found the casting hard to believe.The film marks another collaboration between Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar. The duo previously worked together in films like ‘Hera Pheri’ and ‘Khatta Meetha’. They reunited after a long hiatus with ‘Bhooth Bangla’. It was during the shooting of that film that Akshay Kumar expressed interest in Priyadarshan’s next project.

Akshay Kumar wanted to play the antagonist

According to Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar himself suggested that he might take up the negative role in ‘Haiwaan’. However, the filmmaker did not take the proposal seriously immediately. I thought Akshay Kumar might be pulling another prank.“He has a habit of joking and playing pranks. So when he said yes, I thought he was cheating on me. I ignored and forgot about the whole conversation. That night, as he was leaving, he asked me, ‘Sir, did you consider what I told you?’ I asked him if he was serious about doing the film and he said yes,” Priyadarshan told News18. The filmmaker said Akshay Kumar’s reputation for humor made him unsure about the actor’s intentions. She only realized that Akshay Kumar was serious when the actor continued the conversation later that day.

Saif Ali Khan also thought it was a joke.

Saif Ali Khan was already secured for the central role when Akshay Kumar expressed interest in playing the antagonist. Priyadarshan revealed that Saif Ali Khan also had a hard time believing the news.“When I told Saif that Akshay wants to play the antagonist, he didn’t believe it. He thought I was joking. I wanted to meet Akshay and hear it from the horse’s mouth.” Priyadarshan confirmed that Saif Ali Khan was the first to decide. The actor was attracted by the opportunity to play a visually impaired character. He also wanted to play a role that he had never attempted before. “No. Saif was locked up first. He wanted to play a blind man like he had never done before in his career. He is the main protagonist of the film,” says Priyadarshan.

Other actors had rejected the role of the villain.

Akshay Kumar’s decision was all the more surprising because Priyadarshan had already approached several other actors for the role of the antagonist. However, they turned down the role. “I approached not-so-big actors like Akshay, who rejected this role. It’s their problem that they rejected it. I never asked them why. So naturally, I thought Akshay wouldn’t accept this character either,” he says. The filmmaker said that this experience made him assume that Akshay Kumar would also reject the role.

Akshay Kumar takes on a different side

Priyadarshan believes that both Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are exploring characters they have not played before. The director said the roles allowed him to present both actors in a different light. “My two heroes are playing roles in Haiwaan that they’ve never done before,” he says. Priyadarshan also highlighted the different types of characters that Akshay Kumar has adopted in the last few years. “They haven’t played too many negative roles. Even if they did, their characters in Haiwaan are something they haven’t tried before. I saw them both in a different light. For example, I have been working with Akshay for many years, but I see a different version of him in his last seven or eight films. That’s why I experienced exciting moments during filming,” he adds.

Release date and cast of ‘Haiwaan’

‘Haiwaan’ is directed by Priyadarshan and is scheduled to release on September 11, 2026. The Hindi crime thriller is an official remake of Priyadarshan’s 2016 Malayalam film ‘Oppam’. The story follows a blind martial artist who becomes involved in protecting a young girl from a dangerous psychopath. Saif Ali Khan plays the blind protagonist, while Akshay Kumar plays the antagonist. The cast also features Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will also make a cameo.