Priyadarshan Thought Akshay Kumar Was Joking About Playing Villain In ‘Haiwaan’

Filmmaker Priyadarshan has revealed that he never expected Akshay Kumar to agree to play the villain in his upcoming Hindi thriller Haiwaan, especially after several other actors had turned down the role.

Known largely for his comedy films, Priyadarshan says he actually prefers making serious cinema. With Haiwaan, he returns to the Hindi thriller space and teams up with Saif Ali Khan for the first time, while longtime collaborator Akshay Kumar takes on the role of a deranged killer.

Why Priyadarshan Chose Saif Ali Khan

Haiwaan is inspired by Priyadarshan’s 2016 Malayalam thriller Oppam, which starred Mohanlal. The Hindi adaptation features Saif Ali Khan as a blind lift operator who becomes the central character in the story.

Explaining his decision to cast Saif, Priyadarshan said the actor had been someone he wanted to work with on the project for a long time.

“Saif is someone with whom I have wanted to make this film for a while. His age and look fit the character quite well. When I narrated the film to him, he said, ‘I have never done something like this before’,” the filmmaker said.

Akshay Was Not His First Choice

While Akshay plays the antagonist in Haiwaan, Priyadarshan revealed that the actor was not initially considered for the role.

“I was looking at someone else. I approached many actors, and they refused,” he said.

Akshay eventually came on board after a casual conversation between the two on the set of their previous film, Bhooth Bangla.

“I casually mentioned it to Akshay on the set of Bhooth Bangla, and he said, ‘Why can’t I do this?’ And it happened,” Priyadarshan recalled.

The filmmaker admitted that he had deliberately not approached Akshay earlier because he assumed the actor would also reject the part.

“I never thought he would accept this. Because by then, many actors of big stature had refused it,” Priyadarshan said.

Akshay’s decision marks another shift in his screen image as he returns to playing a darker antagonist after spending years primarily in lead and comic roles. The actor has previously collaborated with Priyadarshan on nine films.

Priyadarshan On Working With Actors

Priyadarshan said his approach to casting and directing actors is straightforward: he expects them to trust the script and the filmmaker.

“When an actor surrenders to a script and a director, it works most of the time. But if he is trying to become the director and writer, things won’t work,” he said.

With Saif leading the thriller and Akshay stepping into an unexpected villainous role, Haiwaan marks a significant departure from the comic collaborations that have defined much of Priyadarshan and Akshay’s long association.