Akshay Kumar Wasn’t Part Of ‘Haiwaan’ ORIGINAL Plan, Priyadarshan Reveals How A Fireside Chat During ‘Bhoot Bangla’ Changed Casting | Hindi Movie News

Priyadarshan’s next film ‘Haiwaan’ emerged differently than what the filmmaker had initially envisioned. While Saif Ali Khan was confirmed for the project early on, Akshay Kumar was not originally considered for the film. The director has now revealed that Kumar’s entry came about almost by chance, after a casual conversation between the two actors during the shooting of ‘Bhoot Bangla’.

Finding the right antagonist proved difficult

According to Priyadarshan, choosing actors for a film involves more than simply choosing actors who fit the characters. The filmmaker also takes into account the commercial positioning of a project when forming his cast.“Basically, you first decide who you want in the script and then you think about who fits the character. At the same time, the market value of a film like this is also taken into account. All these factors are important when it comes to casting,” Priyadarshan said. While Saif was already on board, the search for the antagonist became a protracted process. Several actors were approached for the role, but none of them agreed to take it. “In this film, Saif is the only actor who had confirmed. “I tried to get the antagonist with a lot of people and I failed,” he revealed.

A chance conversation changed everything.

The casting conundrum finally found its solution when Priyadarshan was working with Akshay in ‘Bhoot Bangla’. The filmmaker mentioned the character he was struggling to cast, without expecting an immediate commitment from Kumar.“While I was shooting for Bhoot Bangla, I casually told Akshay that I was looking for a character like this, and a lot of people disagreed. He immediately said, ‘I will do it.'” Kumar’s willingness to take on the role immediately caught Priyadarshan’s attention. For the director, the opportunity also meant introducing the actor to a side of his performance that audiences had not seen before.He added, “I thought if he was ready to do it, it would be fine. I get to see another Akshay Kumar in my film, something I have never seen before. That was what excited me the most.”

Akshay Kumar wanted to play a psychopathic character

Priyadarshan also revealed that the role appealed to Kumar because he was interested in playing a psychologically intense character. “He said he always wanted to play a psychopathic character, and that’s how it happened.” The filmmaker believes this unexpected casting decision finally gave ‘Haiwaan’ a combination that was never part of the original plan.

An unplanned meeting for Priyadarshan and Akshay

Recalling how the project came about, Priyadarshan summed up the casting in simple terms. “If you ask me, this film with Saif and Akshay was not planned, but it happened.”‘Haiwaan’ also marks the reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar after a gap of 18 years. The filmmaker and actor have previously collaborated on several successful projects, so their return together is one of the key talking points surrounding the upcoming film.‘Haiwaan’ is scheduled to hit theaters on September 11.