Film: Haiwaan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Sharib Hashmi, Pahal Chaudhary and others
Director: Priyadarshan
Rating: 4 Moons

Storyline 

‘Haiwaan’ follows Shyam (Saif Ali Khan), a visually impaired martial artist and residential society manager, whose life takes a dangerous turn after the murder of retired Judge Pradhan (Boman Irani). Shyam finds himself protecting the judge’s young daughter, Nandini (Pahal Chaudhary), from Parshuram (Akshay Kumar), a psychopathic killer with a connection to the judge. Shriya Pilgaonkar plays the judge’s maid, while Saiyami Kher is also connected to the investigation. What follows is an intriguing cat-and-mouse game between Shyam and Parshuram, as Shyam uses his instincts and skills to keep Nandini safe. The story keeps adding unexpected turns before leading to a surprising climax.

Acting

Akshay Kumar as the antagonist is everything you wanted to watch on screen after so many years. He is out-and-out evil, and his menacing presence makes Parshuram one of the most interesting characters he has played in recent times. Saif Ali Khan’s action, body language and, most importantly, his eyes speak so much even while playing a visually impaired character. He scores 10 out of 10 with this performance. Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Sharib Hashmi and the rest of the supporting cast do well in their parts. A special mention for child actor Pahal Chaudhary, who holds her own throughout the film.

Direction

Priyadarshan is known for his iconic comedies, but ‘Haiwaan’ proves he can handle a serious action thriller equally well. Bringing Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan face-to-face, on opposite sides of the story, is one of the film’s biggest strengths, and Priyadarshan makes the most of it. The direction is clean, the action is well handled and the suspense keeps moving without getting unnecessarily complicated. 

Dialogues

The dialogues work well with the mood of the film, particularly during the confrontations between Akshay and Saif. The humour is another highlight, especially the portions featuring the late Asrani, whose comic timing and dialogues remain as effective as ever.

Music

The music is already all over the internet, but what works especially well is the nostalgia attached to Saif Ali Khan and Shaan. Every time Shaan gives his voice to Saif Ali Khan, there is a certain magic on screen, and ‘Haiwaan’ brings that feeling back once again. With Priyadarshan at the helm, it becomes an added dose of nostalgia.

Overall

‘Haiwaan’ is an intriguing watch that keeps you invested and might genuinely surprise you by the end.