Saif Ali Khan opens up about his unique ‘blind samurai’ character in Haiwaan, his quick-paced experience with director Priyadarshan, and facing off against a villainous Akshay Kumar.
Saif Ali Khan is stepping into uncharted territory with his upcoming film Haiwaan helmed by Priyadarshan. For an actor who has played everything from suave lovers to gritty anti-heroes, this role feels like a reinvention.
In an interaction with Variety India, the Hum Tum star explained that his role was one of the most exciting he had ever been offered, describing it as an Indian version of a blind samurai. He was quoted as saying, “In my head, I get to play an Indian version of a blind samurai. How cool is that?”.
According to Saif, the character was blind but specially-abled, able to sense things, fight, protect a young girl, and even catch a ball. He found it fascinating to discover the physicality of the role without making it look exaggerated.
He mentioned that the role brought fresh challenges every day on set and that it was written in a way that audiences would genuinely feel for the character, something he hadn’t often experienced before. Saif expressed happiness about getting the role and praised Priyadarshan’s working style, saying it reminded him of Clint Eastwood—very economical and confident. He noted that they rarely did more than one take, which was unusual for him since he liked doing several, but he adapted and found that being completely ready for the first take worked well.
Adding to the intrigue is Akshay Kumar, who shares a long history of screen partnerships with Khan, from Yeh Dillagi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari to Tashan. But this time, Kumar is playing against type, slipping into a darker, more dangerous role.
Khan admitted that seeing Akshay in this shade was thrilling. He described the Khiladi actor as an elder brother and emphasized their special bond, recalling how they had known each other since the very beginning of their careers. He added that while shooting, Priyadarshan often told them they behaved like naughty children, with Akshay joking that Saif brought that side out in him. Saif laughed, saying Akshay was talking nonsense, but admitted that when they were alone, they behaved more maturely.
Saif further mentioned that while his bond with Akshay Kumar off-screen remained the same, their on-screen dynamic in Haiwaan took a fresh turn. He explained that the film did not depend on the kind of chemistry and comedy they had shared in the past, adding that this was a positive change since that phase had already had its time and was no longer the deciding factor. He described the role as a dream come true for him and added thathe is eagerly waiting to see how it will finally look on screen.
Haiwaan is scheduled to hit the big screens on September 11, 2026.
