Haiwaan Box Office Collections: Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan Starrer Collects Rs 2.25 Crore on Day 2

Haiwaan Box Office collections have remained underwhelming on Day 2, with the Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan starrer reportedly earning around Rs 2.25 crore on Saturday. Directed by Priyadarshan, the crime thriller entered its first weekend hoping for a significant jump after a muted opening day, but the early numbers suggest that the film is struggling to convert its star power and weekend advantage into strong theatrical footfalls.

The film’s performance is particularly notable because Haiwaan brings together Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan on screen after a long gap, while Priyadarshan returns to the thriller space with a Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam hit Oppam. On paper, the combination of two established actors and a respected filmmaker offered plenty of reasons for audience interest. However, the box office response so far indicates that curiosity has not translated into the kind of theatrical momentum expected from the project.

Haiwaan Day 2 Box Office Collection

According to the reported early estimate, Haiwaan collected approximately Rs 2.25 crore on Day 2 in India. The figure points to a weak Saturday response, particularly because the second day of a Hindi release is normally expected to benefit from weekend growth.

However, it is important to note that box-office figures can vary between tracking platforms. Some later reports have placed the Day 2 collection closer to Rs 2.5 crore, while another tracker reported a higher figure. Such differences are common because individual trackers use different data sets, show coverage and estimation methods.

The bigger concern is not simply the Day 2 figure but the lack of a strong upward movement. For a film that entered theatres with considerable expectations, Saturday was an important opportunity to recover from the slow opening.

Why Haiwaan Needed a Strong Saturday Jump

Friday collections often reflect advance bookings, initial curiosity and the audience base willing to watch a film immediately. Saturday provides a much clearer indication of whether a movie is developing genuine word-of-mouth.

A substantial Saturday jump could have changed the conversation around Haiwaan. Instead, the reported Rs 2.25 crore collection suggests that the film has not experienced the surge normally associated with a positive theatrical response.

This makes Sunday even more important. If the film manages a meaningful increase on its first Sunday, it could still improve its opening-weekend total. But if Sunday remains close to Friday and Saturday levels, the film’s theatrical run could become difficult to sustain.

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s Reunion Fails to Create Box Office Buzz

One of the biggest selling points of Haiwaan was the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The actors previously appeared together in films such as Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Tashan, making their return a major talking point during the film’s promotional campaign.

Akshay has traditionally been associated with commercial entertainers, action films, comedy and socially relevant dramas, while Saif has increasingly explored character-driven and unconventional roles. Their contrasting screen personalities created expectations that the film could offer something different from a routine crime thriller.

Yet box-office performance suggests that the nostalgia factor alone has not been enough to generate a major opening.

What Is Haiwaan About?

Haiwaan is built around a crime-thriller premise involving a visually impaired character caught in a dangerous situation. Saif Ali Khan plays a central role in the story, while Akshay Kumar appears in a more intense and darker avatar.

The film is directed by Priyadarshan and is adapted from the Malayalam thriller Oppam. The original film starred Mohanlal and was known for combining crime, suspense and emotional drama.

That source material gave the Hindi adaptation a strong foundation. But remaking a successful regional film also presents a challenge: viewers familiar with the original may judge the new version against an established benchmark, while audiences unfamiliar with it still need to find a compelling reason to buy a theatrical ticket.

Priyadarshan’s Return Adds Another Layer to the Box Office Story

Priyadarshan’s association with Akshay Kumar has previously produced several successful commercial films, particularly in the comedy genre. That history created expectations around their latest collaboration.

However, Haiwaan is positioned differently. Instead of relying primarily on comedy, the film leans into suspense, crime and emotional drama. That change in genre can make audience reception more unpredictable.

The film therefore had to establish itself not merely as another Akshay-Priyadarshan collaboration but as a compelling thriller in its own right.

Competition Is Making Haiwaan’s Box Office Journey Harder

Another major factor working against Haiwaan is the competitive theatrical environment.

The film is competing for audience attention with Mirzapur The Movie, which has been attracting significant interest from fans of the popular streaming franchise. At the same time, Hanuman Ansh has emerged as an unexpected box-office force and has been drawing audiences despite its comparatively modest production scale.

Reports have highlighted the strength of Hanuman Ansh at the box office, with the devotional drama overtaking bigger releases in terms of domestic performance. 1

This is an important development for Haiwaan. A film with weak initial occupancy needs sufficient screens and show timings to recover. When competing titles demonstrate stronger audience demand, exhibitors have an obvious incentive to allocate more shows to films generating better footfalls.

Haiwaan Box Office: The Word-of-Mouth Test

At this stage, word of mouth is arguably more important than advance booking.

The film’s pre-release numbers were already considered modest, and the opening day did not provide a major breakthrough. Once a film opens below expectations, audience reactions become critical. A positive response can create a late surge, while mixed or negative feedback can accelerate the decline.

The Day 2 performance does not currently suggest the kind of word-of-mouth explosion that can transform a slow starter into a weekend success.

Still, the final verdict cannot be based on Saturday alone. Sunday collections, Monday hold and the number of shows retained during the first week will provide a clearer picture.

Can Haiwaan Recover on Sunday?

Sunday is now the film’s biggest opportunity.

To change the narrative, Haiwaan needs a significant jump rather than a marginal increase. A strong Sunday would indicate that family audiences and casual moviegoers are gradually discovering the film.

On the other hand, another flat day would reinforce the impression that the film has failed to generate sufficient theatrical demand.

The most important metric will therefore be the Friday-to-Saturday-to-Sunday trend. If the numbers rise sharply, the film could still finish its first weekend better than currently expected. If they remain largely stagnant, its overall theatrical prospects will become increasingly difficult.

What Haiwaan’s Performance Means for Akshay Kumar

The film’s box-office performance also adds another chapter to the discussion around Akshay Kumar’s recent theatrical run.

Akshay remains one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable stars, but modern audiences have increasingly shown that star casting alone cannot guarantee a theatrical opening. The content, trailer, genre positioning, reviews, release timing and competing films all play a role.

Haiwaan is particularly interesting because it combines several established names. Yet the early theatrical response remains subdued. This demonstrates how the relationship between star power and box-office performance has changed.

For major actors, the challenge is no longer simply getting audiences into theatres on opening day. The bigger challenge is convincing them that a particular film deserves priority over the growing number of entertainment choices available to them.

Saif Ali Khan’s Role Could Still Help Haiwaan

Saif Ali Khan’s performance is another factor worth watching as the weekend progresses. His post-pandemic film choices have often included darker, more layered or unconventional characters, and Haiwaan gives him an opportunity to explore a physically and emotionally demanding role.

If audience appreciation for Saif’s performance grows through social media and word of mouth, it could help the film maintain interest during the coming week.

But strong individual performances do not always translate into box-office success. For that to happen, the film needs viewers to recommend the complete theatrical experience rather than only a particular actor’s performance.

Haiwaan Opening Weekend Collection: What to Expect

With Day 2 reportedly standing at around Rs 2.25 crore, the film is heading towards a low opening weekend unless Sunday delivers a substantial improvement.

Some current reports have projected the film’s three-day India net in the vicinity of Rs 7.5–8 crore, although the final total will depend heavily on Sunday occupancy and late-day collections. 2

That would be a disappointing result for a film headlined by two established stars and directed by a filmmaker with a strong commercial track record.

The key question now is not whether Haiwaan can have a massive opening weekend—it has already lost that opportunity—but whether it can stabilise enough to remain competitive during the weekdays.

Why the First Monday Will Be Crucial

For a slow-opening film, Monday can be more revealing than the weekend itself.

A movie that develops genuine audience support can maintain a reasonable percentage of its Sunday collection on Monday. A film dependent almost entirely on weekend curiosity can experience a steep fall.

Therefore, the Monday hold will determine whether Haiwaan has any realistic chance of a longer theatrical run.

If the film shows resilience, distributors and exhibitors may continue backing it. If the fall is severe, screen and show reductions could arrive quickly, particularly because competing titles are already attracting stronger audience interest.

Haiwaan vs Expectations: The Bigger Box Office Picture

The disappointing early performance of Haiwaan highlights a broader reality in Bollywood: audiences are becoming increasingly selective about theatrical releases.

Big names still matter, but they are increasingly functioning as an entry point rather than a guarantee of success. A film needs a strong hook, effective promotion and audience satisfaction to sustain momentum beyond its first few shows.

The theatrical marketplace is also becoming more competitive because audiences have access to an enormous variety of entertainment across cinemas and streaming platforms. Consequently, films have less room for a slow build unless they receive strong reviews or exceptional word of mouth.

Haiwaan Box Office Verdict So Far

Haiwaan is currently facing an uphill battle at the box office. The reported Rs 2.25 crore Day 2 collection has not delivered the kind of Saturday jump the film needed after its subdued opening.

The Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan reunion, Priyadarshan’s direction and the film’s thriller premise created a promising package, but the early theatrical response has been below expectations. Current reports also differ on the exact Day 2 figure, so the final number should be confirmed once all collections are reconciled. 3

For now, everything rests on Sunday and Monday. A strong Sunday could soften the disappointment and give the film some breathing room. Another weak day, however, would make it increasingly difficult for Haiwaan to build a sustainable theatrical run.

In short, Haiwaan’s box office journey is now a race against time: the film needs audience support quickly, because the competition for screens and attention is already intense.