12 September,2026 11:36 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Haiwaan poster (Picture via X)
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's latest release, Haiwaan, has opened to a modest response at the box office. Directed by Priyadarshan, the thriller earned around Rs 3 crore net in India on its opening day, according to early estimates. The film, which marks Akshay and Saif's reunion on screen after 17 years, faced stiff competition from two films that have already established a strong hold at the ticket window Mirzapur: The Movie and Hanuman Ansh.
Haiwaan hit theatres on September 11 and had recorded relatively weak advance bookings ahead of its release. Its opening-day performance has consequently fallen short of expectations, particularly considering its star cast and the reunion of two established actors. Early estimates suggest the film recorded around 11 per cent occupancy across shows on Friday.
The Priyadarshan directorial has also had to contend with limited screens as audiences continue to favour the two competing titles. Hanuman Ansh, despite completing more than a month in theatres, has maintained a strong run. The film reportedly earned around Rs 10.50 crore on its sixth Friday, taking its India collection to approximately Rs 173.63 crore.
Meanwhile, Mirzapur: The Movie has continued its impressive theatrical run in its second week. The crime thriller reportedly collected around Rs 9 crore on its second Friday, taking its India total to nearly Rs 157.45 crore. The film's strong performance has further added to the pressure on Haiwaan, which is attempting to find an audience amid the crowded box-office landscape.
Directed by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan is a Hindi adaptation of his 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, which starred Mohanlal. Saif plays Shyam, a blind caretaker who becomes embroiled in a dangerous situation after being framed for the murder of a retired judge. He is forced to flee while trying to protect the judge's daughter from a vengeful killer.
The film's opening is among the lower first-day figures for both Akshay and Saif, according to trade reports. With competition from films that are already performing strongly, Haiwaan will now be dependent on audience word of mouth and weekend growth to gain momentum.
For now, the Akshay-Saif reunion has had a subdued start, with the film collecting around Rs 3 crore on day one. Its performance over the first weekend will determine whether it can recover from the slow opening and establish itself at the box office.]
