Director Priyadarshan has spoken about the poor box-office performance of his latest film Haiwaan, saying the setback won't force him to give up on trying different stories.
Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, was released in theatres on September 11 but had an underwhelming run at the box office. It collected approximately Rs 15.08 crore.
Speaking to HT, Priyadarshan said failures are part of a career and that he has seen both successful and unsuccessful films in the industry. "I have seen enough hits and flops in a career of 48 years and 98 films. I still survived, it's part of the game," he stated.
The filmmaker said the response to Haiwaan also shows how Hindi audiences continue to associate him mainly with comedy. He said this perception became stronger after Hera Pheri, which was released in 2000.
Priyadarshan pointed out that he has made several serious films during his career, including Kaalapani, Kanchivaram and Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea. He has also directed political films in the South, some of which became major hits.
He also recalled that his Hindi film career did not begin with comedy. Films such as Gardish and Virasat were among his early Hindi projects and were successful. According to Priyadarshan, Hera Pheri changed the way audiences looked at his Hindi films.
"I started with Gardish and Virasat, which were hits, but after Hera Pheri people expect me to make humour-oriented films," he said.
He said he now has to keep this audience expectation in mind. "If that's the demand, why should I experiment with other kinds of films? I will play for the gallery and try meaningful movies in the South," Priyadarshan said.
Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar are already set to work together on two more films. Both projects will be produced by Ramesh Taurani. The first film is a comedy and is expected to go on floors in January 2027. Akshay will also star in Bhoot Police 2, which will be directed by Priyadarshan.
Akshay and Priyadarshan have worked together on several films, including Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, De Dana Dan and Khatta Meetha.
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