Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are back together after 17 years, but Haiwaan is certainly not the kind of reunion one would have expected from the duo. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film is a dark thriller and the trailer released today gives a glimpse into a tense cat-and-mouse game between Akshay’s ruthless character and Saif’s visually impaired protagonist.

The biggest surprise of Oppam was always Mohanlal’s portrayal of a blind man. His character’s vulnerability, intelligence and the way he navigated the world without sight gave the Malayalam original a unique identity. In Haiwaan, Saif takes over that role, but the trailer appears to shift the centre of gravity towards Akshay Kumar, whose character is presented as an outright psychopath. Priyadarshan himself has described Akshay’s character as a “psycho” rather than a grey-shaded villain.

Akshay certainly looks menacing, but his performance in the trailer seems deliberately loud in its attempt to establish the villainy. Compared to the subtle tension that made Oppam work, Haiwaan appears to be going for a more overtly dark and commercial treatment.

That raises the biggest question around the film. Priyadarshan is remaking his own acclaimed Malayalam thriller for a Hindi audience, but can he take the material beyond a straightforward remake and give it a fresh identity? The darker atmosphere and expanded action elements are promising, but the trailer does not completely live up to the expectations created by the original.

The Akshay-Saif combination remains the film’s biggest attraction, especially with their reunion after Tashan. Haiwaan is scheduled to release in cinemas on September 11, and the real test will be whether Priyadarshan has found enough new material and scale to make this version work on its own terms.

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