Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan starrer Haiwaan is gearing up for its theatrical release on September 11. The film marks Saif’s first collaboration with director Priyadarshan and also reunites him with Akshay Kumar after 18 years. In an exclusive conversation, Saif opened up about filming the intense action sequences in the movie while portraying a visually impaired character.
In Haiwaan, Saif’s character is trained in martial arts and finds himself at the centre of a particularly intense fight sequence. Describing the scene, the actor shared, “It’s a scene with a great build-up because the characters torture and bash up my character, kicking and slapping him. As an audience, you want him to retaliate, which he eventually does.”
Saif credited stunt master Silva for choreographing the sequence and revealed that the action was filmed without the use of duplicates or extensive visual effects. “Silva really well choreographed that fight, and there were no special effects added to it; there were no duplicates. There’s very little fakery in these scenes. The room has broken glass everywhere. It was very raw and kind of violent, and it was utterly exhausting because after that I had to lie down for two days,” he said.
The actor admitted that performing the sequence without a body double proved particularly demanding. “I thought I was alright but I was exhausted because that is how intense the action scene was. It wasn’t CGI or harness-backed action scenes; the fight scene is just raw. It was really lots of fun to perform,” Saif revealed.
Interestingly, the team did not undergo any special workshops or dedicated action training for Haiwaan. Saif said he primarily rehearsed the sequences with the stunt director before filming. Recalling the aftermath of the shoot, he said, “I remember, after the scene was shot, there were a lot of glass pieces on the floor from the broken photo frames and cupboards being smashed.”
Despite the physically demanding setup, Saif revealed that the injuries were relatively minor. “Luckily, not too many injuries, but there are always some cuts and bruises,” he said. The actor also explained why the sequence works within the larger story, adding that the audience naturally wants his character to fight back after being subjected to such brutal treatment.
“However, the scene lands well in the film owing to the plot because you want him to bash those people who have been so bad to him, so it’s really nicely done. Silva is a master,” Saif added.
Also featuring Boman Irani, Sayami Kher and Shriya Pilgaonkar in pivotal roles, Haiwaan is set to arrive in cinemas on September 11.
