Haiwaan update: Here's when Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan begin shoot for Priyadarshan's Oppam remake

Priyadarshan’s Hindi remake of Oppam titled Haiwaan, stars Saif Ali Khan as a blind caretaker and Akshay Kumar as a killer. Filming begins August 23; it's their first film together since Tashan.

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan

Priyadarshan is now ready to roll the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam thriller Oppam titled Haiwaan, some nine years after the original release. Shooting is set to begin in Cochin on August 23, and the long-awaited project will include Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar in significant parts.

Priyadarshan was already thinking of doing a Hindi version of Oppam when the original came out in 2016. According to a report in Mid Day, Khan and the filmmaker have been in talks for about a year, thus the concept has been taking its time to materialise. Previous rumours said that Saif Ali Khan had purchased the remake rights.

The part of the adversary opposite Khan was originally being considered for Akshay Kumar, Akshaye Khanna, and Bobby Deol. Kumar joined the team in due time, and Priyadarshan has additional projects in the works with him, such as Bhooth Bangla and Hera Pheri 3.

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar on reuniting with Saif Ali Khan for Priyadarshan's Haiwaan: 'He is a very funny guy'

The insider told the tabloid that despite Khan's portrayal of a visually impaired caretaker who is skilled in Kalaripayattu, Akshay would be portrayed as a merciless, icy killer seeking revenge for his family. The two performers will seem unique, but they're going for an authentic, rough, and raw look by sporting moustaches and stubble. The roles of a former top justice of the Supreme Court and his daughter have not yet been filled.

When the original Malayalam film Oppam came out, Mohanlal played the role of Jayaraman, a man who was visually impaired but had extraordinary hearing, smell, and touch. After a former judge is brutally murdered by an individual he had unjustly imprisoned, Jayaraman decides to defend the judge's daughter from the angry killer.

In contrast to the original, which was co-written by Govind Vijayan and Priyadarshan, the filmmaker has taken the helm in creating the Hindi adaptation. Last year, he began working on the adaptation's screenplay and script, and it is now complete. The source reveals that Kumar and Khan require a considerable amount of time to prepare for their parts, which involve intense action sequences, including martial arts and hand-to-hand combat.

The legendary martial artist Kumar has honed his skills in taekwondo, Muay Thai, and karate, and he is a black belt in all three. Khan is preparing for the film by training extensively in Kalaripayattu.

The filming for Haiwaan will begin on August 23 in Cochin with Khan, and Kumar will thereafter join the cast. Mount Abu in Rajasthan, Vagamon in Kerala, and Mumbai will be their next stops after a month. According to the insider, the actors are engaged in what amounts to a game of cat and mouse.

After a 17-year hiatus, Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar reunite for Haiwaan. Their previous feature film together was 2008's Tashan. This is also the first project that Khan has worked on with Priyadarshan.

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