Haiwaan Box Office Day 1: ₹2.50

Haiwaan Box Office Day 1 featuring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan

Haiwaan had a subdued start at the domestic box office on its opening Friday, with early estimates putting its Day 1 net collection in the range of ₹2.25–3.00 crore. Despite featuring established stars Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, the thriller recorded a relatively weak opening compared with other recent Hindi releases.

The film’s slow beginning, however, is not entirely unexpected. Haiwaan is positioned as a gritty, mid-scale crime thriller—a genre that typically depends heavily on strong word of mouth, advance bookings, or substantial promotional momentum to deliver a major opening. With limited pre-release buzz, the film appeared to rely primarily on audience footfalls generated by its star cast.

Akshay Kumar’s frequent theatrical releases have become a defining feature of his recent career. While this strategy has delivered successful and promising titles, it also means that some smaller-scale films may open quietly when they lack event-film positioning. For Haiwaan, the challenge now is to convert its opening-day audience into stronger weekend collections through word of mouth.

Haiwaan Box Office: What Worked and What Didn’t

One of the film’s biggest attractions is the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan after nearly 18 years. The two actors last appeared together in Tashan (2008) and had previously shared the screen in films such as Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi.

Directed by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan is presented as a Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam crime thriller Oppam. The original film starred Mohanlal, who also reportedly makes a cameo in the Hindi version.

Saif Ali Khan plays Shyam, a visually impaired apartment maintenance manager who possesses heightened senses and becomes embroiled in a murder case. Akshay Kumar takes on the role of Parshuram, an escaped mental hospital inmate who sets out on a violent vendetta. The supporting cast includes Boman Irani, Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Sharib Hashmi.

Haiwaan Day 2 Box Office Trend

Early Saturday trends suggested a modest improvement, with the film’s cumulative domestic net collection estimated at around ₹4.20 crore. However, Haiwaan faces strong competition for audience attention and screens from other major releases, including Mirzapur: The Movie.

The film’s performance over the remainder of the weekend will therefore be crucial. A significant jump on Saturday and Sunday, followed by positive word of mouth, could help it stabilize after its slow opening.

Mixed Reviews for Haiwaan

Critical response to Haiwaan has been mixed to lukewarm. Saif Ali Khan’s restrained performance has received appreciation, while some reviews have criticized the film’s lengthy runtime of nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The tonal shift between crime-thriller elements and slapstick comedy has also been cited as a factor that weakens the film’s tension. Whether audiences overlook these shortcomings will largely determine the film’s box-office trajectory in the coming days.