Director Priyadarshan’s Hindi thriller Haiwaan, an adaptation of his own 2016 Malayalam film Oppam starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar, struggles to sustain suspense across its bloated 165-minute runtime.

A Solid Premise Dragged Down by Sluggish Pacing

The story focuses on Shyam Rane, played by Saif Ali Khan, a visually impaired maintenance manager in a Mumbai high-rise building who raised his siblings following their father’s early passing. Shyam uses his heightened senses of touch, sound, and smell to navigate his surroundings and help residents. His routine is disrupted by the arrival of Parshuram Gokhale, played by Akshay Kumar, a revenge-obsessed adversary bearing a snake tattoo and a tragic history involving an escaped mental health facility stay, false accusations, and a family tragedy linked to retired judge Pradhan, played by Boman Irani.

Although the core conflict previously proved effective in the 2016 original, this adaptation takes excessive time to build momentum. The inclusion of three unmemorable songs—including a dance sequence placed right before a crucial plot development—repeatedly stalls the narrative progression. By the time the core suspense elements take center stage, the movie has already exhausted much of its audience’s patience, running approximately 30 minutes longer than necessary.

Miscast Dynamics and Villainy Without Dread

The primary issue with the film lies in the execution of its primary antagonist. A thriller of this nature requires a menacing threat to justify its length, yet Akshay Kumar’s performance leans heavily into over-the-top delivery, turning what should be intimidating sequences into moments of unintended comedy.

"The menace needed to be colder, quieter, more unsettling - and it isn’t."

Saif Ali Khan brings believable warmth to Shyam’s personal responsibilities and interactions, though his character’s physical background as a wrestler proves less convincing on screen. Meanwhile, actresses Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher are relegated to underwritten roles, continuing a frustrating trend in Indian thrillers.

Ensemble Highlights and Final Verdict

Despite the structural flaws, select supporting performances offer brief entertainment. Sharib Hashmi provides reliable comic timing as Inspector Sanjay Shinde, though the abrupt shifts between comedy and tension remain unintegrated. The late Asrani delivers a warm, authentic performance as security guard Hussain, while original Oppam star Mohanlal makes a brief cameo appearance.

Ultimately, Haiwaan fails to match the tighter, leaner execution of its Malayalam predecessor, resulting in an occasionally watchable but fundamentally unsatisfying cinematic experience.