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It’s Official: Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reunite after 17 Years for Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan
Filmmaker Priyadarshan announces Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan's collaboration in Haiwaan, a Hindi remake of the Malayalam film Oppam, set for a 2026 release.
After much speculation, filmmaker Priyadarshan has confirmed that Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are reuniting after 17 years for his upcoming thriller, Haiwaan. The director made the announcement via Instagram, sharing a candid photo of the duo enjoying the India vs. England Test match at Lord’s Cricket Stadium in London.
Priyadarhan announces Haiwaan
In a surprise reveal, Priyadarshan posted a photo of Akshay and Saif enjoying the India vs England Test match at Lord’s Cricket Stadium in London. The candid shot shows Saif, dressed in a casual blue shirt, watching the match intently while Akshay, looking dapper in a beige blazer over a white shirt, appears mid-conversation, standing beside him. Captioning the post, Priyadarshan wrote: “Haiwaan – my next film with @akshaykumar and Saif Ali Khan at Lord’s.”
Internet reacts
Akshay and Saif, last seen together in Tashan (2008), are set to begin filming this August, with a 2026 release on the cards. Fans could not contain their excitement and started pouring it in the comment section.
One comment read, “Another blockbuster in the making!”. Another fan demanded for Akshay’s bearded look in the film as he wrote, “Dear Sir We need Akshay Kumar Sir in Massy Never seen before beard looks (sic)”.
Another fan added, “Best wishes @priyadarshan.official sir, please give Akshay sir a never-seen-before bearded look of a psycho killer and present him in as brutal a way as possible.”
About Haiwaan
The film is reportedly a Hindi remake of the 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, which originally starred Mohanlal. Akshay is said to play the villain in the film. A source close to the production told HT City, “Akshay and Saif have always enjoyed working with each other and admired each other’s work. The moment they read the script, they knew they were on board." The film goes on floors in August this year and is slated for a release in 2026.
