Imagine stepping out of Churchgate railway station late into the night, and bumping into Akshay Kumar. That could have been a possibility only a fortnight ago. In the last week of October, filmmaker Priyadarshan shot an ambitious action sequence of Haiwaan with leads Kumar and Saif Ali Khan near the railway station. The cat-and-mouse chase sequence, which included 30-40 cars and 100 junior artistes, was choreographed by action director Stunt Silva and filmed over five nights. “Both Saif and Akshay knew how the sequence had to be shot and they cooperated, though Akshay is known to sleep early,” laughs Priyadarshan.
Haiwaan is an adaptation of Priyadarshan’s Malayalam thriller Oppam (2016). The Hindi movie sees Khan as a visually challenged man with a heightened sense of smell and hearing, who takes on Kumar’s antagonist. “I am doing an action-oriented movie after a long time. Haiwaan is a comedy thriller, almost a cat-and-mouse game with a lot of action,” says the director, whose last Hindi release was the comedy Hungama 2 (2021).
mid-day captured Saif Ali Khan shooting for the film near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on October 31
The film, which went on floors in August, is currently on its last leg in Mumbai. While Kumar wrapped up his portions before leaving for his Dubai schedule of Welcome to the Jungle, the director is filming action-driven scenes with Khan across Mumbai. Priyadarshan elaborates, “I have another nine days of work left with Saif. We have been shooting in many outdoor locations, including Churchgate, Bandra-Kurla Complex, and more. Shooting in Mumbai roads is difficult as it’s a densely populated city. Now, the remaining few days will be easier as we are mostly shooting on sets.”
For Priyadarshan, 2025 has shaped up to be a fulfilling year as he helmed Bhooth Bangla and Haiwaan. “I have completed two films in nine months. That’s pretty hectic for someone at the age of 69. But I can still do two more films,” he laughs. Maybe a fourth National Award too? “I hope so,” he smiles.
Mohanlal, who led ‘Oppam’ (2016) on which ‘Haiwaan’ is based, will be seen in a cameo in the Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan-starrer