A blind man, an innocent child and an unhinged monster form the central triangle of Haiwaan, director Priyadarshan’s Hindi adaptation of his Malayalam thriller Oppam (2016). The film presents an intriguing premise in which Shyam, a visually impaired maintenance worker played by Saif Ali Khan, accidentally becomes the protector of a young girl who is being pursued by a ruthless serial killer, Parshuram, portrayed by Akshay Kumar. The contrast between a man who cannot see and a killer who must be stopped provides the film with the foundation for a gripping sensory thriller.

The concept initially promises a tense and atmospheric experience, built around the idea that the only person capable of protecting the child is unable to identify the face of the danger confronting her. Priyadarshan, working with production designer Sabu Cyril and cinematographer Divakar Mani, creates a visual world of shadows, silhouettes and confined spaces that appears designed to heighten suspense. The setting and central conflict offer enough material for a thriller that could rely on sound, movement and instinct rather than conventional visual pursuit.

Saif Ali Khan makes a committed effort to inhabit the role of Shyam, a character originally played memorably by Mohanlal. He adopts a restrained physicality and works to communicate blindness through his movements, expressions and vacant gaze. As a maintenance man responsible for a high-rise building, Shyam is given a grounded presence that could have made him an emotionally convincing and quietly heroic protagonist. Saif’s performance reflects a visible desire to disappear into the character and bring the necessary seriousness to the role.

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However, the film’s promise is weakened by its uneven execution and an approach that repeatedly dilutes the tension. The material calls for restraint, precision and a sustained sense of danger, but Haiwaan struggles to maintain the sharpness required of a thriller. Instead of allowing the premise to generate suspense organically, the film often leans into exaggerated dramatic beats and indulgent performances, reducing the impact of situations that should have been genuinely unsettling.

Akshay Kumar’s portrayal of Parshuram is particularly excessive, with the performance frequently going overboard instead of making the killer truly frightening. The character’s menace is weakened by the theatricality surrounding him, while the film’s tonal inconsistencies prevent the antagonist from becoming the chilling presence the story requires. What should have been a battle of wits between a vulnerable protector and a dangerous predator often loses its bite under the weight of overstatement.

Ultimately, Haiwaan has an appealing premise, capable lead casting and the technical foundations of a compelling thriller, but it fails to fully capitalise on them. Saif Ali Khan puts in the effort to give the protagonist gravitas, yet the film’s indulgent stretches and defanged treatment of its central conflict prevent it from achieving the intensity promised by its setup. Priyadarshan’s recreation of Oppam remains watchable for its performances and atmosphere, but it falls short of delivering a consistently gripping thriller.

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