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Haiwaan movie review: Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan film is more uff than ole ole
Confirmed
In Short: Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's film Haiwaan is facing tough competition from other blockbusters, leading to poor advance ticket sales and reliance on word-of-mouth for success.
Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's film, Haiwaan, is struggling to secure optimal screen space and audience attention due to major hurdles, according to reports from BollySpice.com. The film, an adaptation of the Malayalam film Oppam, is facing stiff competition from other blockbusters like Hanuman Ansh and the cinematic release of Mirzapur, which are maintaining a strong run in theatres.
Trade analysts, speaking under condition of anonymity, lament that two films with a non-star cast are dominating while another film with two A-listers is looking at bleak prospects. The film has registered low advance ticket sales, with predictions of a low single-digit opening day between ₹5 to ₹8 crore, according to BollySpice.com. Due to intense blockbuster competition and a relatively quiet marketing campaign, the film’s success relies heavily on strong spot-bookings and exceptionally positive word-of-mouth.
Pete Hammond, Damon Wise, and Glenn Garner of Deadline reported that the 2026 Toronto Film Festival kicked off on September 10, featuring world premieres including the official opening-night film Being Heumann, directed by Oscar winner Siân Heder. However, this news is not directly related to the box office performance of Haiwaan.
Bollywood Hungama reported that the start of Haiwaan is extremely poor, and the film will have to rely on audience word-of-mouth to show gains on the weekend and then clock a Monday higher than Friday. The producers have not put a lot of money into promoting the film, possibly due to the disastrous performance of Toxic, and the eyes are now on word-of-mouth to land in favour of the film, leading to a spike in business on Saturday and Sunday.
What's confirmed
- Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's film, Haiwaan, is struggling to secure optimal screen space and audience attention due to major hurdles, according to reports from BollySpice.com. The film, an adaptation of the Malayalam film Oppam, is facing stiff competition from other blockbusters like Hanuman Ansh and the cinematic release of Mirzapur, which are maintaining a strong run in theatres.
- Trade analysts, speaking under condition of anonymity, lament that two films with a non-star cast are dominating while another film with two A-listers is looking at bleak prospects. The film has registered low advance ticket sales, with predictions of a low single-digit opening day between ₹5 to ₹8 crore, according to BollySpice.com. Due to intense blockbuster competition and a relatively quiet marketing campaign, the film’s success relies heavily on strong spot-bookings and exceptionally positive word-of-mouth.
- Pete Hammond, Damon Wise, and Glenn Garner of Deadline reported that the 2026 Toronto Film Festival kicked off on September 10, featuring world premieres including the official opening-night film Being Heumann, directed by Oscar winner Siân Heder. However, this news is not directly related to the box office performance of Haiwaan.
- Bollywood Hungama reported that the start of Haiwaan is extremely poor, and the film will have to rely on audience word-of-mouth to show gains on the weekend and then clock a Monday higher than Friday. The producers have not put a lot of money into promoting the film, possibly due to the disastrous performance of Toxic, and the eyes are now on word-of-mouth to land in favour of the film, leading to a spike in business on Saturday and Sunday.
What's still developing
- Trade analysts in Mumbai are loathe to comment on the expected boxoffice performance of Haiwaan as it is a premium product facing imminent disgrace.
- The film will now need strong spot bookings and favourable word of mouth to make up for the lacklustre pre-release response.
- But even for a miracle trending, it's a must for Haiwaan to open around the Rs.
- The film is a remake of a Malayalam film, and that has also dented the theatrical potential.
- Soon after the film's first day first shows were over, netizens couldn't wait to share their takes.