Director Priyadarshan has spoken about the poor box-office performance of his latest film ‘Haivaan’, saying the setback will not make him stop trying different stories.
Haiwan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, was released in theaters on September 11 but fared poorly at the box office. It collected around Rs 15.08 crore.
talking with HTPriyadarshan said that failures are part of a career and he has seen both successful and unsuccessful films in the industry. “I have seen enough hits and flops in a 48-year career and 98 films. I still survive, it’s part of the game,” he said.
The filmmaker said the response to Haiwan also reflects how Hindi audiences continue to associate him primarily with comedy. He said that this concept has become stronger after the release of ‘Hera Pheri’ in 2000.
Priyadarshan said that he has done several serious films during his career, including Kalapani, Kanchivaram and Marker: Lion of the Arabian Sea. He has also directed political films in the South, some of which became big hits.
He also recalled that his Hindi film career did not start with comedy. Films like Gardish and Virasat were among his early Hindi projects and were successful. According to Priyadarshan, Hera Pheri changed the audience’s perception of his Hindi films.
He said, “I started with Gardish and Virasat, which were hits, but after Hera Pheri, people expect me to do humorous films.”
He said that he now has to take into account this expectation of the audience. Priyadarshan said, “If this is the demand, why should I experiment with other types of films? I will play to the gallery and try meaningful films in the south.”
Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar are already set to work together on two more films. Both the projects will be produced by Ramesh Torani. The first film is a comedy and is expected to go on floors in January 2027. Akshay will also star in Ghost Cop 2, which will be directed by Priyadarshan.
Akshay and Priyadarshan have worked together in several films, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhaag, Bhool Bhulaiyya, De Dana Daan and Khatta Meetha.
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