Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reunite for the thriller after their earlier collaboration, as the film begins its theatrical run amid strong expectations.
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Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan film has a lukewarm start at the box office (PC: Twitter)
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan‘s return to the big screen together has finally arrived with HaiwaanThe Priyadarshan directorial brings the two actors together after a long gap and comes with the added curiosity of being a remake of the Malayalam thriller OppamDespite the familiar names attached to the project, the film has not opened with the kind of momentum expected from a major star-led releaseIts first-day performance has been modest and the coming days will be important in deciding whether it can build stronger momentumThe film also faces competition from movies that are already performing well in theatres.
Haiwaan records lukewarm response on Day 1
Haiwaan collected Rs 3 crore net in India on its opening day, according to SacnilkThe film recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 12.42% across 7,224 showsThe morning shows registered 5.92% occupancy while the afternoon shows recorded 12.15%The evening occupancy stood at 12% and the night shows performed better at 18.15%.
The film’s India gross collection stood at Rs 3.60 crore, while its overseas gross collection reached Rs 1 croreThis takes the film’s worldwide gross collection to Rs 4.60 crore after Day 1.
Akshay Kumar’s fifth-lowest post-pandemic opener
The Rs 3 crore opening places Haiwaan among Akshay Kumar’s lowest Day 1 performers in the post-pandemic periodThe film ranks fifth when his lowest post-pandemic opening-day collections are arranged from lowest to highest.
Sarfira opened with Rs 2.40 crore in 2024, followed by Selfiee with Rs 2.55 crore in 2023BellBottom recorded Rs 2.70 crore on its opening day in 2021 while Mission Raniganj earned Rs 2.80 crore in 2023Haiwaan, with Rs 3 crore, comes next on the list.
While the opening is not particularly strong, the film still has the weekend ahead to improve its overall performanceA better Saturday and Sunday could give the thriller some much-needed momentum.
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reunite after 18 years
Haiwaan marks another collaboration between Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan after their last film together, Tashan, in 2008The actors have previously worked together in films including Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Yeh Dillagi, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Keemat: They Are Back and Aarzoo.
The film features Saif as Shyam, a visually impaired man who becomes caught in a dangerous situation while Akshay plays ParshuramBoman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher are also part of the cast.
What is Haiwaan about?
Directed and co-written by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan is the Hindi remake of his 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, which starred Mohanlal and SamuthirakaniMohanlal also makes a special cameo in the Hindi adaptationThe film has music by Pritam and a background score by Ronnie RaphaelIt also marks the final film appearance of veteran actor Asrani, who died in 2025.
Weekend holds the key for Haiwaan
The next few days will determine the fate of Haiwaan at the box officeThe film will need a noticeable rise over the weekend to recover from its modest opening and establish a stronger theatrical run.
At the same time, Haiwaan is entering a competitive box-office environmentHanuman Ansh and Mirzapur: The Movie are continuing their strong theatrical runs and will remain important competition for audiencesWhether Haiwaan can carve out its own space will depend largely on its weekend growth and audience response.
