'Haiwaan': Amitabh Bachchan was the FIRST choice, NOT Saif Ali Khan; Priyadarshan REVEALS the reason

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are working together again after a long time for the thriller 'Haiwaan.' The surprising part is that Saif Ali Khan was not the first person Priyadarshan wanted for this role. Priyadarshan first wanted Amitabh Bachchan. He could not get him, and the movie moved in a different way.

Priyadarshan talks about this in an old interview

In an old talk with Rediff, Priyadarshan shared this truth in a very simple way. He said, “I have never been able to collaborate with writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and I have never been able to work with Mr. Bachchan,” and then he added, “Many times we came very close to working together, but somehow the projects never materialized. For one reason or another the films we were meant to do together fell through."

Priyadarshan shares new feelings in the 2025 post

In 2025, Priyadarshan posted a picture of himself with Saif Ali Khan and Mohanlal. In the words he wrote under the picture, he said, “Look at life and the way it turns… Here I am, on the shooting sets of HAIWAN, working with the son of one of my biggest cricket heroes and my favorite film icon. Truly, God is kind." He talked about Saif in a loving way because Saif’s father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was one of his cricket heroes. He also talked about Mohanlal, because Mohanlal is his favorite actor. In the picture Saif and Mohanlal were holding walking sticks and wearing sunglasses, which made fans very curious.

Link to the original Oppam story

The new film is a remake of 'Oppam.' In the old 2016 Malayalam film, Mohanlal played a blind man who sees a murder and then must save a child from a dangerous killer. It was a strong story with a lot of tension.

Now Saif is doing the same main role in the Hindi remake. Priyadarshan also said before that Mohanlal will be in the new film for a short cameo. Fans of both actors are happy about this because they get to see both faces in one movie.

Samuthirakani shares Priyadarshan’s advice

At another event for Dulquer Salmaan’s film Kaantha in Kochi, actor and director Samuthirakani remembered something Priyadarshan told him long ago. He said, “After Oppam was completed, Priyadarshan sir told me, ‘The audience in Kerala will never forget you. It’s okay if your next project takes time, but never do the wrong kind of films. Always do the right films,’” and he said this advice stayed with him. He also said this became like a moral compass for him. The words helped him choose better films. He said, “I have come now with the right film.”

The original film 'Oppam' had Mohanlal in the lead, and the expectations are high for 'Haiwaan.'





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