Aug 22, 2026 10:30am IST
Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan Shoot ‘Haiwaan’ Promotional Song in Mumbai College (EXCLUSIVE)
The promotional campaign for Priyadarshan’s “Haiwaan” is gathering pace. Variety India has learned that the team has shot a song for the upcoming thriller in Mumbai. Titled “Haiwaan,” the number was filmed at SNDT College, with the set for the song put together within a day before shoot commenced.
The track brings together Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Saiyami Kher and Shriya Pilgaonkar. Bosco Martis has choreographed the song composed by Pritam, which is expected to form part of the film’s wider promotional campaign.
The song gives makers an opportunity to present the principal cast in a setting markedly different from the dark, suspense-driven world established by the film’s early campaign. The teaser has positioned Khan as a visually impaired man caught in a dangerous situation, while Kumar appears as a menacing antagonist.
The Mumbai shoot was executed on a compressed schedule, with the production creating the required set-up at SNDT College in a single day. Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Saiyami Kher and Shriya Pilgaonkar were all part of the filming, giving the makers an asset that brings the film’s key players together.
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Talking about the same Bosco Martis said, “It’s a high-fashion, stylised video that captures moments from the film in a very engaging way. The song is composed by Pritam and has a high-tempo beat with an edgy sound, so we’ve built an equally edgy set around it. Hopefully, all these elements come together to create a visually empowering song."
He added, "The highlight for me is the series of abstract setups we’ve created. They reflect and depict elements of the film’s story, but through a futuristic lens, giving us room to really stylise the visuals. It’s a high-energy video, and seeing Saif Ali Khan create that kind of energy is exciting. He and the rest of the cast are fantastic actors, but packaging their performances into this particular visual world was the challenge. We had to retain the story elements while staying true to the film’s universe, and I think we’ve managed to strike that balance. Ultimately, it’s a good-looking video with great-looking people, and that’s the USP.”
For Akshay Kumar his character in "Haiwaan" represents a particularly significant departure for the actor. He has described the role as his first truly evil character, stressing that there are no grey shades to the part. That makes the decision to build a promotional song around a film with such a dark central conflict an interesting addition to the campaign.
For Khan and Kumar, “Haiwaan” also marks a significant screen reunion. The actors were last seen together in “Tashan” in 2008, making their pairing in the Priyadarshan-directed film one of its key talking points.
The film reunites Kumar with Priyadarshan after their long-running association that includes “Hera Pheri,” “Garam Masala,” “Bhool Bhulaiyaa” and “Bhooth Bangla,” among others. But “Haiwaan” moves the filmmaker-actor collaboration into a markedly darker space.
Produced by Venkat K Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn, “Haiwaan” is scheduled to release theatrically on September 11, 2026.
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