Haiwaan Remake Gets Mixed Reviews, Praise for Leads

The Hindi film Haiwaan, a remake of director Priyadarshan's 2016 Malayalam thriller Oppam, has received sharply divided reviews following its release on September 11, 2026. Critics and audiences have praised the lead performances of Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar but have largely criticized the film's pacing, length, and overall execution. The film stars Saif Ali Khan as Shyam Rane, a visually impaired maintenance manager, and Akshay Kumar as Parshuram Gokhale, a vengeful killer. The plot follows Shyam as he becomes the protector of a judge's foster daughter after the judge is murdered by Parshuram, who seeks revenge for a past injustice. Mohanlal, who starred in the original Oppam, makes a cameo appearance in the end credits. While one review described the film as an "outstanding" and "captivating thriller," the majority of assessments were negative. Multiple reviews labeled it a "boring snoozefest" and a "disaster of epic proportions." A common point of criticism was the film's runtime of approximately 2 hours and 44 minutes, with several reviewers stating it was at least 30 minutes too long and that the pacing was uneven.