Haiwaan Review: A Convoluted Thriller Dragged Down by Exaggeration and Flat Performances

Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan, an official adaptation of his Malayalam film Oppam, centers on a visually impaired protagonist caught in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Rather than delivering a taut, suspense-driven procedural, the film collapses under an overlong 164-minute runtime, persistent narrative inconsistencies, and mismatched lead performances.

Muddled Characterization and Misplaced Glamour

Saif Ali Khan stars as Shyam Rane, a visually impaired building maintenance manager struggling financially to fund his sister’s wedding. Despite this supposedly humble background, Khan’s styling leans jarringly toward catalog chic—complete with designer co-ord outfits, German leather bags, and high-end accessories. His portrayal lacks the authenticity expected of the role, delivering an emotionally detached performance that fails to ground the high-stakes narrative.

The script bestows his character with an improbable array of superhuman feats. Shyam demonstrates expert multi-instrumental prowess, takes down groups of assailants like an action star, walks away unscratched from vehicular collisions, and tracks suspects by smelling food leftovers—stretching basic plausibility well beyond suspension of disbelief.

Over-the-Top Antagonist and Narrative Pitfalls

Akshay Kumar appears as Parshuram, an escaped convict targeting the families of those he holds responsible for his past imprisonment. Kumar’s interpretation leans into melodrama, full of theatrical flourishes that resemble a caricature rather than a grounded, menacing antagonist. The celebrated on-screen chemistry that previously defined Khan and Kumar’s collaborations is entirely absent here.

The mystery unravels through contrivances that are obvious long before the characters catch on:

• A luxury Mumbai apartment complex housing high-net-worth residents completely lacks CCTV infrastructure, backup power generators, or security protocols, serving merely as a device to let the antagonist roam unchecked.
• Priyadarshan regulars like Rajpal Yadav and the late Asrani are relegated to forced, out-of-place slapstick interludes.
• Sharib Hashmi’s law enforcement character violently lurches from broad buffoonery to unprovoked custodial brutality without coherent motivation.
• Bizarre plotting detours—such as residential committee tribunals policing private relationships and impractical mid-chase costume shifts—render serious scenes unintentionally comedic.

Trading the grounded atmosphere of the original thriller for glossy cinematography and overstated performances, Haiwaan ends up as an exhausting and disjointed cinematic misfire.