Akshay Kumar–Saif Ali Khan’s Haiwaan Hits Theatres Today: Opening Day Box Office & Early Details!

The long-anticipated psychological action thriller Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, has officially hit the big screen today, September 11, 2026. Directed by veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan, the film brings the iconic duo back together after an 18-year hiatus since their last appearance in Tashan (2008).

Early Box Office & Advance Booking Numbers

Haiwaan generated considerable buzz leading into its theatrical debut. Here is a look at the opening day figures and early box office metrics:

• Advance Booking Total: Grossed approximately ₹2.76 crore across India for Day 1 (including block seats and 2D Hindi shows).

• Ticket Volume: Over 44,000 tickets sold across approximately 7,300 scheduled shows nationwide prior to release.

• Opening Momentum: Trade trackers report a relatively slow start in morning occupancy across major circuits.

• Key Territory Highlights: Delhi-NCR led advance figures (approx. ₹47 lakh), followed closely by Maharashtra (approx. ₹43.6 lakh) and Uttar Pradesh.

Industry analysts expect footfalls to build through evening shows and over the weekend, driven by walk-in audience traffic and word-of-mouth reviews.

Storyline & Character Roles

Haiwaan presents a stark visual and narrative clash between its two lead stars:

• Saif Ali Khan as Shyam: A visually impaired maintenance manager with heightened sensory perception who gets entangled in a high-stakes conspiracy while trying to protect an innocent girl.

• Akshay Kumar as Parshuram Gokhale: Marking a shift into darker, antagonist territory, Akshay portrays a vengeful, psychologically complex man driven by past tragedy and retribution.

The ensemble cast includes Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Saiyami Kher, Paresh Rawal, and Tabu, along with a special cameo appearance by Mohanlal.

Connection to Oppam: Priyadarshan’s Clarification

While cinematic discussions have linked Haiwaan to Priyadarshan’s 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam starring Mohanlal, the director has emphasized distinct storytelling choices. Clarifying his approach to media outlets, Priyadarshan stated that Haiwaan should not be viewed as a carbon copy, noting he deliberately altered the film's tone, scale, and character dynamics for a fresh cinematic experience.

Key Highlights & Film Specs

Attribute	Details
Release Date	September 11, 2026
Lead Cast	Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan
Director	Priyadarshan
Genre	Psychological Action / Crime Thriller
CBFC Rating	UA 16+
Runtime	2 hours, 44 minutes

Mrunal Jadhav Biography: Age, Acting Career, Filmography, and Facts!

Mrunal Jadhav (Mrunal Ravindra Jadhav) is a talented young Indian actress who works across Hindi and Marathi film and television. Best known for her emotionally resonant role as Anu Salgaonkar—the younger daughter of Vijay Salgaonkar (Ajay Devgn) in the hit Drishyam franchise—Mrunal has built a strong reputation as one of Indian cinema's most dependable young artists.

📌 Quick Profile: Mrunal Jadhav

Detail	Information
Full Name	Mrunal Ravindra Jadhav
Date of Birth	November 26, 2008
Birthplace	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Profession	Actress, Model
Debuting Role	Rukmani in Lai Bhaari (2014, Marathi)
Breakthrough Role	Anu Salgaonkar in Drishyam (2015)
Father's Name	Ravindra Jadhav (Mumbai Police Department)

🌟 Early Life and Acting Debut

Mrunal Jadhav was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Her father, Ravindra Jadhav, works with the Mumbai Police, while her mother, Sangita Jadhav, supported her early artistic pursuits. Recognizing her flair for expressions and performing arts at a young age, her parents enrolled her in formal dance and gymnastics training under well-known choreographer Phulawa Khamkar.

She began acting in television serials like Radha Hi Bawari (2012) before making her Marathi feature film debut in the blockbuster action-drama Lai Bhaari (2014) alongside Riteish Deshmukh.

🎬 Mainstream Stardom: The Drishyam Franchise & Marathi Cinema

1. Pan-Indian Breakout with Drishyam

In 2015, Mrunal was cast as Anu Salgaonkar in Nishikant Kamat's crime thriller Drishyam (2015). Playing the innocent, younger daughter who becomes a pivotal witness in a high-stakes crime cover-up, her natural performance opposite Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, and Tabu won high critical praise.

She reprised her role in the blockbuster sequel Drishyam 2 (2022) as a high-school student dealing with the long-term psychological aftermath of the incident, cementing her place in one of modern Indian cinema's most famous thriller franchises.

2. Diverse Regional Feature Roles

Parallel to her Hindi projects, Mrunal maintained a steady presence in Marathi feature cinema:

• Tu Hi Re (2015): Played Pihu in Swapnil Joshi's romantic drama.

• A Paying Ghost (2015): Featured in the fantasy comedy project.

• Andya Cha Funda (2017): Starred as Vasanti in this fantasy adventure.

• Me Pan Sachin (2019): Portrayed Namye in a cricket-centric family drama.

• Bhaybheet (2020): Played Shreya in a psychological horror-thriller opposite Subodh Bhave.

📋 Selected Filmography

Year	Title	Language	Role / Character	Notes / Key Highlights
2012	Radha Hi Bawari	Marathi (TV)	Jui D'costa	Television Acting Debut
2014	Lai Bhaari	Marathi	Rukmani	Marathi Feature Debut
2015	A Paying Ghost	Marathi	Supporting Role	Supernatural Comedy Drama
2015	Tu Hi Re	Marathi	Pihu	Directed by Sanjay Jadhav
2015	Drishyam	Hindi	Anu Salgaonkar	Pan-Indian Hindi Breakthrough
2017	Andya Cha Funda	Marathi	Vasanti	Fantasy Feature
2019	Me Pan Sachin	Marathi	Namye	Sports Drama Feature
2020	Bhaybheet	Marathi	Shreya	Psychological Horror
2022	Avasaan (The Terminus)	Marathi	Sarika Karpe Patil	Award-winning Short Film
2022	Drishyam 2	Hindi	Anu Salgaonkar	₹340+ Crore Box-Office Hit
2026	Drishyam: The Conclusion	Hindi	Anu Salgaonkar	Crime Thriller Continuation

💡 Interesting & Lesser-Known Facts About Mrunal Jadhav

• Police Department Background: Her father's background in the Mumbai Police department helped her feel at ease during police station scenes filmed for the Drishyam series.

• Trained Gymnast & Dancer: Beyond acting, she undergoes regular dance training at Phulawa’s School of Dance & Gymnastics in Mumbai.

• Acappella Feature: In 2018, Mrunal was featured in the first-ever Marathi celebrity Acappella song video alongside renowned Maharashtrian artists.

• On-Screen Growth: Audiences watched her literally grow up on screen, transitioning from a seven-year-old child artist in the original 2015 Drishyam to a teenager in Drishyam 2 and beyond.

Rajat Kapoor Biography: Age, Acting Career, Directorial Works, Filmography, and Facts!

Rajat Kapoor is an acclaimed Indian actor, filmmaker, playwright, and theatre director. Celebrated for his contributions to parallel and indie cinema, he has bridged the gap between mainstream Hindi films and thoughtful, content-driven artistic projects. A multi-time National Film Award winner, Kapoor is revered for his subtle acting performances in films like Dil Chahta Hai, Kapoor & Sons, and the Drishyam franchise, as well as for directing critically acclaimed cult movies like Raghu Romeo and Ankhon Dekhi.

📌 Quick Profile: Rajat Kapoor

Detail	Information
Full Name	Rajat Kapoor
Date of Birth	February 11, 1961
Birthplace	Delhi, India
Education	FTII Pune (Direction & Screenplay Writing)
Profession	Actor, Film Director, Writer, Theatre Director
Major Accolades	National Film Awards for Best Feature Film in Hindi (Raghu Romeo) & Best Non-Feature Film (Tarana)
Spouse	Meenal Agarwal (m. 1996)

🎭 Early Life, FTII, and Theatre Roots

Rajat Kapoor was born and raised in Delhi, where he developed a passion for cinema and theater at an early age. In 1983, he joined the famous theatre group Chingari in Delhi, where he actively acted in and directed plays.

To hone his technical filmmaking skills, Kapoor attended the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, specializing in Film Direction and Screenplay Writing.

His journey began behind the camera with short films and non-feature projects:

• National Award Debut: He directed the non-feature short film Tarana (1989), which earned him his first National Film Award.

• Early Parallel Cinema: He made his feature acting debut in Kumar Shahani’s acclaimed avant-garde film Khayal Gatha (1989).

🎬 Acting Stardom and Directorial Legacy

1. Breakthrough in Hindi Cinema

While Kapoor was active in independent theatre and cinema throughout the 1990s, he achieved widespread mainstream recognition through Farhan Akhtar’s seminal coming-of-age movie Dil Chahta Hai (2001), where he played Mahesh, Preity Zinta's uncle.

His subtle, natural acting approach quickly made him a preferred choice for complex supporting roles across diverse genres:

• Critically Acclaimed Portrayals: Played Mahesh Maheshwari in Corporate (2006), Panditji in Monsoon Wedding (2001), Vinay Khosla in Bheja Fry (2007), and Harsh Kapoor in Kapoor & Sons (2016).

• Crime Thriller Success: Delivered memorable performances as IG Mahesh Deshmukh in Drishyam (2015) and Drishyam 2 (2022), reprising his role in Drishyam: The Conclusion (2026).

2. Maverick Independent Filmmaker

Beyond acting, Rajat Kapoor is one of modern Indian cinema's most important independent directors, famous for crowd-funded and low-budget indie masterpieces:

• Raghu Romeo (2003): Directed this dark comedy starring Vijay Raaz, winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

• Mithya (2008): Directed a mob-comedy starring Ranvir Shorey that gained cult status among cinephiles.

• Ankhon Dekhi (2013): Wrote and directed this philosophically rich comedy-drama starring Sanjay Mishra, which won multiple Filmfare Critics Awards and is regarded as one of modern Hindi cinema's finest films.

• RK/RKay (2021) & Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa: Continued his penchant for meta-cinema and quirky comedy features.

📋 Selected Filmography

Year	Title	Language	Role / Character	Key Credit / Notes
1989	Khayal Gatha	Hindi	Bharat	Feature Acting Debut
2001	Dil Chahta Hai	Hindi	Mahesh	Breakthrough Mainstream Role
2001	Monsoon Wedding	Hindi/Eng	Tej Puri	International Breakthrough
2003	Raghu Romeo	Hindi	Director / Writer	Won National Film Award
2006	Corporate	Hindi	Vinay Gupta	Drama Feature
2007	Bheja Fry	Hindi	Ranjeet Thadani	Classic Comedy Hit
2008	Mithya	Hindi	Director / Writer	Cult Comedy-Drama
2013	Ankhon Dekhi	Hindi	Rishi / Director / Writer	Filmfare Critics Award Winner
2015	Drishyam	Hindi	IG Mahesh Deshmukh	Suspense Thriller Hit
2016	Kapoor & Sons	Hindi	Harsh Kapoor	Nominated for Filmfare Award
2018	Mulk	Hindi	Danish Javed	Drama Feature
2021	RK/RKay	Hindi	RK / Mahboob / Director	Meta-Cinema Feature
2022	Drishyam 2	Hindi	IG Mahesh Deshmukh	₹340+ Crore Blockbuster
2026	Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa	Hindi	Supporting Actor / Director	Directorial Release
2026	Drishyam: The Conclusion	Hindi	IG Mahesh Deshmukh	Crime Thriller Franchise

💡 Interesting & Lesser-Known Facts About Rajat Kapoor

• Crowd-Funding Pioneer: For his award-winning directorial film Raghu Romeo (2003), Kapoor struggled to secure traditional studio backing. He successfully raised funds by asking personal friends and cinephiles for small contributions, making him an early pioneer of crowd-funded independent cinema in India.

• Clown Theatre Adaptations: Rajat is famous in the Indian theatre circuit for directing Shakespearean plays using clowning techniques, including acclaimed adaptations like Hamlet — The Clown Prince, Nothing Like Lear, and Macbeth — What Is Done Is Done.

• Multi-National Award Winner: He holds National Film Awards across different film categories—both for directing non-feature documentary work (Tarana) and feature-length narrative films (Raghu Romeo).

• Art Direction Collaborator: His wife, Meenal Agarwal, is a prominent production designer and art director in Indian cinema who frequently collaborates with him on his directorial ventures.