Biggest Disaster In Indian Cinema? Akshay Kumar’s ‘Haiwaan’ Closes Below Rs 10 Crore

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s 'Haiwaan' has ended its theatrical run with just Rs 9.92 crore nett in India, making the Priyadarshan-directed thriller one of the most shocking box-office disappointments of 2026. Made on a reported budget of around Rs 130 crore, the film recovered only a fraction of its reported production cost.

'Haiwaan' opened at around Rs 3 crore net on September 11 and collected Rs 7.35 crore during its opening weekend. However, the film failed to sustain its momentum during the weekdays and eventually closed below the Rs 10 crore mark. Its reported worldwide gross stood at around Rs 15 crore.

The numbers are particularly striking because the film brought together two established Bollywood stars. 'Haiwaan' also marked the 18-year reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, who last appeared together in 'Tashan' in 2008. Priyadarshan directed the film as a Hindi remake of his own Malayalam thriller 'Oppam', which starred Mohanlal and became a major success in Kerala.

'Haiwaan' follows Saif as Shyam, a visually impaired martial artist who becomes entangled in a dangerous situation, while Akshay plays the antagonist Parshuram. The cast also features Boman Irani, Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Sharib Hashmi, with Mohanlal making a cameo appearance.

However, the film struggled to generate strong word-of-mouth after release. Reviews pointed to its 165-minute runtime, uneven pacing and close resemblance to 'Oppam' as some of the factors that affected its theatrical appeal. The fact that the original Malayalam film was already a decade old also became a talking point among audiences ahead of the Hindi remake's release.

The failure has also prompted Priyadarshan to rethink the kind of films he makes with Akshay. The filmmaker said the response to 'Haiwaan' once again showed him that audiences do not seem to want to see the actor-director combination in serious subjects.

Priyadarshan recalled their earlier non-comedy collaboration 'Khatta Meetha', which also failed at the box office, while their comedy collaborations such as 'Hera Pheri', 'Garam Masala', 'Bhagam Bhag', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' and 'De Dana Dan' remain far more closely associated with their partnership.

The director has also explained that Bollywood largely began identifying him with comedy after the success of 'Hera Pheri', despite his long career in serious cinema. He has directed acclaimed films across different genres, including 'Kaalapani', 'Kanchivaram' and 'Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea', besides Hindi films such as 'Gardish' and 'Virasat'.

Priyadarshan, who has completed 48 years in filmmaking and directed 98 films, has maintained that failure is part of the profession. Rather than treating 'Haiwaan' as a reason to stop experimenting, he suggested that he may continue exploring more serious subjects in South Indian cinema while making the kind of films Hindi audiences have come to expect from him.

For Akshay, however, the final Rs 9.92 crore India net makes 'Haiwaan' a particularly significant box-office setback. With a reported Rs 130 crore budget and a theatrical finish below Rs 10 crore, the film's performance has inevitably raised questions about the audience response to star-led Hindi thrillers and the future of Priyadarshan and Akshay's non-comedy collaborations.