A reunion after a decade
Boman Irani and director Priyadarshan are back together for the upcoming thriller 'Haiwaan', marking their first collaboration since the 2012 film 'Tezz'. The actor, speaking in an interview with SCREEN, reflected on why it took 12 years for the duo to work together again, pointing to the filmmaker's established circle of frequent collaborators.
"I think he had his own group of people whom he was comfortable with. It's like asking Raju Hirani, 'Why didn't you work with so-and-so actor?' It becomes a family kind of situation, and I think that's great," Irani said. He added, "But somehow, I was made to believe that I was the first choice for this role."
'Tezz', their previous joint project, also starred Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut.
The comedy stamp
Despite 'Haiwaan' being a dark thriller, Irani noted that the perception of comedy continues to follow both him and Priyadarshan, whose comic films remain among his most recognised works. "The comedy stamp always chases me," Irani said during the interview, discussing how the filmmaker has explored action, romance and drama alongside comedy throughout his career.
A thriller with a notable cast
'Haiwaan' features an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. The film marks the reunion of Kumar and Khan on screen after more than three decades; they last appeared together in 'Main Khiladi Tu Anari' in 1994. The film's trailer has already generated curiosity, as reported by The Times of India.
'Haiwaan' is directed by Priyadarshan and is the official Hindi remake of his 2016 Malayalam film 'Oppam', which starred Mohanlal, according to Bollywood Hungama.
On audience acceptance
When asked about audiences accepting Kumar in a dark character, Irani drew parallels with his own experiences in films like '3 Idiots' and 'Munna Bhai MBBS'. "You watch 3 Idiots. Imagine 3 Idiots was not a good movie. Think about it. What would the acceptance of a character like Virus be? They would say, 'Irritating.' But when the movie is good, everything gets accepted," he said.
He also cited the example of Sanjay Dutt's role in 'Munna Bhai MBBS', where the actor, then 44, played a college-going student. "Why did they accept it? The movie was good. The story was good," Irani said, adding, "But if the movie was bad, then people would have questioned, 'How could they have cast Sanju?' But the movie was great. So, there was no question of age. Having said that, they (Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan) will be accepted because they are good in the film. But the movie has to be good, and the movie is good."
Release details
'Haiwaan' is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 11, 2026, as reported by Bollywood Hungama. The OTT platform and streaming release date have not yet been announced, according to The Times of India.