Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan’s Haiwaan flops, Hanuman Ansh inches closer to Rs 250 crore

Seems like the stars aren’t aligned for Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as his latest release, Haiwaan, has failed to attract moviegoers at the box office, adding to his recent run of underperforming films.

On Friday, Akshay Kumar-Saif Ali Khan starrer thriller Haiwaan opened to Rs 3 crore net in India. The film, which marks the actors’ reunion 18 years after Tashan (2008), saw its collections dip slightly on Day 2, earning Rs 2.5 crore. The film’s two-day domestic net total now stands at Rs 5.5 crore, while its domestic gross is Rs 6.6 crore, as per trade tracker Sacnilk.

Haiwaan is facing tough competition from Hanuman Ansh and Mirzapur: The Movie at the box office. The Ali Fazal-Pankaj Tripathi gangster drama has earned around Rs 245 crore so far. Even in its second week of release, Mirzapur: The Movie has managed to outperform Akshay and Saif’s latest release.

The poor opening of Haiwaan has once again raised questions over Akshay Kumar’s box-office run. While the actor has delivered several successful films in the past, a number of his recent releases have struggled to perform theatrically.

Here’s a look at some of Akshay Kumar’s recent films that failed or underperformed at the box office:

Welcome To The Jungle

Akshay Kumar’s Welcome To The Jungle was one of the most anticipated films, but despite its big star cast and franchise value, the film failed to make the expected impact at the box office. The film had a large ensemble cast and was expected to revive the popular Welcome franchise.

Bhooth Bangla

Akshay Kumar reunited with director Priyadarshan for Bhooth Bangla, raising expectations among fans. However, despite crossing the Rs 100-crore mark, the film was considered a disappointment in relation to its reported budget and box-office expectations.

Jolly LLB 3

Jolly LLB 3 featured Akshay Kumar alongside Arshad Warsi and Saurabh Shukla. The film earned around Rs 113.59 crore in India but was classified as Average, falling short of being a major box-office success.

Housefull 5

The fifth instalment of the Housefull franchise had a strong opening and earned around Rs 160 crore in India. However, the film was classified as Average, with its performance considered underwhelming considering its scale and expectations.

Khel Khel Mein

Khel Khel Mein, which featured Akshay Kumar alongside Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Fardeen Khan and Ammy Virk, failed to attract audiences in significant numbers. The film earned around Rs 40.36 crore in India and was classified as a Flop.

Sarfira

Sarfira was one of Akshay Kumar’s most performance-oriented films and was based on the story of an entrepreneur trying to make air travel accessible to the common man. Despite the subject and Akshay’s performance receiving attention, the film failed at the box office, earning around Rs 22 crore in India.

Bad Miyan Chote Miyan

The action entertainer, which paired Akshay Kumar with Tiger Shroff, was expected to be a major commercial success. However, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan failed to meet expectations despite its big-budget production, star cast and extensive promotions. The film earned around Rs 59 crore in India and was classified as a Flop.

Selfiee

Selfiee, which saw Akshay Kumar reunite with Emraan Hashmi, was another major box-office disappointment. The film struggled from its opening day and eventually earned less than Rs 20 crore in India, making it one of Akshay’s biggest recent failures.

About Haiwaan

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Haiwaan, directed by Priyadarshan, has also failed to receive a strong response from moviegoers. Several viewers have criticised the film online, with some describing it as a “boring snoozefest”.

Haiwaan is the Hindi remake of Priyadarshan’s own Malayalam film Oppam (2016). The film stars Saif Ali Khan as Shyam Rane, a visually challenged man who takes on psychotic killer Parshuram Gokhale, played by Akshay Kumar, to protect a little girl named Nandini.

The film has also received mixed reactions from audiences on social media. One self-proclaimed Akshay Kumar fan wrote, “AS A DIE-HARD FAN OF HIM, I AM BOYCOTTING #HAIWAAN for the betterment of #AkshayKumar’s future. IF YOU WANT TO TEACH A LESSON TO YOUR FAVOURITE ACTOR—JOIN ME IN THIS BOYCOTT MOVEMENT. I’ll donate 1000 rupees to those in need instead of watching HAIWAAN.”

Another netizen described the film as an average thriller that works in parts but fails to reach its full potential, while praising the performances of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The viewer also criticised the uneven pacing and said the overall impact was “just decent”.

Hanuman Ansh emerges as a surprise box-office success

Meanwhile, Hanuman Ansh, a biopic on revered saint Neem Karoli Baba, has emerged as a surprise success at the box office.

The film started on a low note but gained momentum through positive word of mouth. On its 37th day, the film earned around Rs 18 crore and has now crossed the Rs 250-crore mark, according to trade reports.

Hanuman Ansh did not have an easy run initially. Following its release, the arrival of films such as Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2 saw its screen count fall to just 25. However, strong word of mouth helped the film continue its theatrical run and attract audiences.

Written and directed by Vishal Chaturvedi, Hanuman Ansh is a retelling of the life of Uttarakhand’s revered saint Baba Neem Karoli, whose real name was Lakshman Narayan Sharma.

The film, made on a budget of Rs 1.75 crore, follows a grieving young Lakshmi Narayan, who embarks on a spiritual journey in search of God after the death of his mother.

As he travels across North India seeking answers to life, death and human suffering, he eventually transforms into the revered saint Neem Karoli Baba, whose teachings of love, service and compassion touched countless lives.

The film stars Shobhinaw Satya in the lead role alongside Vihaan Shedge, Chandan K Anand, Purnima Tiwari, Anil Rastogi, Gulshan Pandey and Bhagvandas Patel.