In a career that has spanned four decades, Priyadarshan has directed almost a hundred films, including 28 in Hindi alone. After comedies for two decades, as he returns to ‘serious’ films with Haiwaan, the director sits down for a chat with Hindustan Times, where he is joined by actor Boman Irani.
Who is a haiwaan?
Haiwaan is the story of a man wronged by the legal system who exacts revenge. The only thing standing in his way is a blind man. The film’s title is not an obvious reference to the villain, as it includes layers about who a haiwaan (demon) really is. Boman is curt in his answer: “Haiwaan is someone who comes in the way of creators making good cinema.” Priyadarshan laughs and says he agrees with this assertion 100%. “There are many (in the industry), he adds. Ask him if he has had his fair share of dealings with such haiwaans, he responds, “Only haiwaans.”
Creating the world of a blind hero
Haiwaan is inspired by the filmmaker’s own 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, which starred Mohanlal. And while the two films are sufficiently different, the filmmaker adds, they have one thing in common: Both show the world through the lens of a blind protagonist. In Haiwaan, that protagonist is played by Saif Ali Khan. Talking about this approach, the filmmaker says, “Before writing the original film, I went to a blind school, where I found all the blind children playing as if they could see. They could recognise their friends by voice. I think one who is born blind believes everyone is blind. He doesn’t know the difference. That is how I created the character played by Saif,” explains Priyadarshan.
The filmmaker says that he did not have to do much differently to establish the world of this film and explains his filmmaking philosophy. “One thing I’m very sure of. The first 10 minutes of any film are never bad, be it any film in the world. People are waiting to see those 10 minutes,” he says. “Within this time, you have to explain the logic of the film. Once the story begins, you can’t give new information. All the information about the character is in the first 10 minutes of Haiwaan. Then you take the film forward.”
Can revenge be justice?
Apart from being the proverbial cat-and-mouse game between the characters played by Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, Haiwaan is also about the moral choices that everyday people face. Boman Irani plays an upright judge who sends an innocent man to prison. Talking about how he approached the character, the actor says, “It’s Sophie’s choice, but he has to take a call. He is working on a hunch, sure. The system says one thing, and if my character takes a call, he is doing it because that’s what the law is.” However, Boman says that this injustice cannot be an excuse for vindictive justice or revenge. “If the law is an ass in this case, you can’t use that as an excuse,” sums up the actor.
Priyadarshan elaborates, “In the judiciary, every judge and lawyer talks about this one choice: proof and conscience. Every judge has experienced a clash between the two. This is what I wanted to convey in this story.”
Directed by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan also stars Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher, while Mohanlal makes a cameo appearance. It also marks the late Asrani’s final screen appearance. Produced by KVN Productions and Thespian Films, the film will release in theatres on 11 September.