Priyadarshan says Bollywood limits his experiments as Hindi remake Haiwaan grosses just Rs 15 crore against Rs 130 crore budget

Haiwaan earned just Rs 15.08 crore worldwide, a fraction of its reported Rs 130 crore budget. The Hindi crime thriller, directed by veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan, starred Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar alongside Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and others. Despite hype following Priyadarshan’s recent hit Bhooth Bangla, the film failed to cross Rs 20 crore globally and posted a net Indian collection of Rs 9.92 crore. Haiwaan is a remake of the 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam, which starred Mohanlal and entered the Rs 50 crore club in under 40 days. The Hindi version was financed by Venkat K Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn, with cinematography by Divakar Mani, music by Pritam and editing by Aiyappan Nair MS. Priyadarshan broke his silence in an interview with Hindustan Times, saying the film’s poor performance reflects Bollywood’s tendency to pigeon‑hole him into a comedic mould after successes like Hera Pheri (2000). He warned he may stick to “playing for the gallery” in Hindi cinema and reserve serious, experimental projects for South Indian languages. The director, who has made 98 films over a 48‑year career, cited earlier hits such as Gardish (1993), Virasat (1997), Kaalapani (1996), Kanchivaram (2008) and Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021). He added that he has survived both hits and flops and will continue to choose stories that challenge him, even if they do not fit commercial expectations. ## Context Box‑office failures of big‑budget remakes often highlight the risk of translating regional success without matching local audience tastes. The Hindi market can be less receptive to thriller formats that worked well in Malayalam cinema.