Priyadarshan is all set to bring his crime thriller Haiwaan to the big screens on September 11. While reuniting with Akshay Kumar, the veteran filmmaker is also collaborating with Saif Ali Khan for the first time. In a recent interaction, Priyadarshan opened up about his experience working with the actor, describing Khan as deeply committed and always eager to learn, experiment, and explore new ideas.
Priyadarshan’s Experience Working with Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan and Priyadarshan have joined hands for the first time in the upcoming psychological thriller Haiwaan. Ahead of the film’s release, the veteran filmmaker shared his experience of working with the Pataudi Nawab and praised the actor’s dedication to his craft.
Speaking in a recent interview with Pinkvilla, Priyadarshan described Khan as a mature child, saying, “He has a lot of questions every time, and of course every actor has the right to ask questions, but the moment it is answered, he just obeys you. After two days, I found that there were no questions, so I asked him in the morning, ‘Any questions?’ He said, ‘No sir, now I know what you want to shoot.’ That actually builds our confidence with each other, and that is the way it went on. Saif is too committed.”
Continuing on the Salaam Namastey actor, Priyadarshan revealed a habit that’s often hard to find among actors today — that Saif reads books between shots instead of being glued to his phone. He added that Saif is a voracious reader with an impressive knowledge of the world around him.
“I could discuss a lot of things with him because I am a huge Pataudi Nawab fan, so I spent a lot of time with him. He also gifted me a nice book with Pataudi’s autograph, so I really enjoyed being with him. I found him a very obedient actor, a little greedy, but a very obedient actor, so that is the best part about him. I think he developed a certain kind of confidence in me, which really helped me take the film forward in a very smooth way,” Priyadarshan said.
Saif Ali Khan on His Role in Haiwaan
In a conversation with Variety India, Saif shared that he plays an Indian version of a blind samurai in the film. Reflecting on this new challenge in his acting career, Khan said, “It was something completely new for me. More importantly, it’s a character written for the audience to genuinely feel for, which I haven’t really had much of, for whatever reason. I’m really happy I got this role.”
“Working with Priyadarshan sir was amazing. It reminded me of Clint Eastwood, very economical and absolutely sure of what he wanted. We rarely did more than one take. I like doing a few takes, but you adapt to whoever you’re working with. It was interesting to be completely ready for that very first take, and somehow it really worked,” Saif Ali Khan added.
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Haiwaan is an upcoming psychological crime thriller directed by Priyadarshan. The film stars Saif Ali Khan as a visually impaired protagonist and Akshay Kumar in a villainous role, marking an on-screen reunion for the two actors after 18 years. Scheduled for a theatrical release on September 11, 2026, the film also features Boman Irani, Saiyami Kher, and Shriya Pilgaonkar.