Why Priyadarshan Forbade Saif Ali Khan from Watching the Original ‘Oppam’ Before Filming ‘Haiwaan’
As anticipation builds for the September 11 release of Haiwaan, director Priyadarshan has shed light on his unconventional directorial approach for the upcoming thriller. The film, a Hindi remake of the acclaimed 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam, features Saif Ali Khan in the lead role of Shyam—a character originally immortalized by South Indian superstar Mohanlal.
In a move to ensure the originality of the performance, the veteran filmmaker took a strict stance: he explicitly barred Saif Ali Khan from watching the original Malayalam film before production commenced.
The Dangers of Imitation
For Priyadarshan, the priority was to foster an authentic performance rather than a mimicry of Mohanlal’s iconic portrayal. In a recent interview with Variety India, the director emphasized that acting is not a derivative art form.
“Saif has no idea what Mohanlal has done. I did not allow it,” Priyadarshan explained. “Everyone has their own body language, dialogue delivery, and movements. It cannot be imitated.”
The director noted that because Khan possesses a completely different screen presence—ranging from his specific hand gestures to his rhythmic dialogue delivery—forcing him to align with Mohanlal’s performance would have been counterproductive. “Imitation never works in acting,” he added. “I saw him working on the scenes and discussed how I wanted him to approach the character. He understood my vision and has done a good job.”
Researching Visual Impairment
Beyond the stylistic choices, the film places heavy emphasis on the authentic portrayal of visual impairment. The character of Shyam navigates a world shaped by his remaining senses, a nuance that Priyadarshan researched extensively.
“I interviewed many visually impaired men before writing the script,” the director shared. He revealed that he gained deep insight into how a person without sight experiences the world, including discovering that visually impaired individuals often differentiate between day and night by sensing subtle changes in temperature.
Bridging Logic and Make-Believe
When asked if he drew inspiration from international cinema, specifically Al Pacino’s legendary performance in Scent of a Woman, Priyadarshan maintained that filmmaking is a delicate balance of “make-believe.”
“It is about making the audience believe what you are doing is right,” he stated. Acknowledging that today’s globalized audience is highly critical and well-versed in world cinema, the director noted that his responsibility is to ensure the narrative logic holds up to intense scrutiny. “You have to put in logic. Today, people have a lot of exposure… so they’ll ask you thousands of questions. My responsibility is to answer these questions while making the film.”
As Haiwaan prepares to hit theaters, audiences are eager to see how Saif Ali Khan’s unique take on the character will resonate within the framework of Priyadarshan’s vision.
