Haiwaan hit screens on Friday, September 11, and the early word from theatres is better than the early word from trade trackers. Priyadarshan's psychological thriller, which reunites Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan for the first time since their comedy days in Main Khiladi Tu Anari, has been picking up genuinely warm reactions on social media even as its opening day numbers stayed on the lower side.

That gap is the story here. The film has already been reported to have collected around Rs 3 crore on Day 1, a soft start by any measure for two stars of this size. But scroll through the first wave of audience reactions Koimoi compiled after morning shows, and the mood is closer to pleasant surprise than disappointment.

One widely shared post called it Priyadarshan's first Hindi-language thriller, praising how the director moved away from his comedy playbook to tell what the reviewer described as a story of shattered lives and the price of vengeance. Another rated it 3.5 stars, flagging that Haiwaan is a remake of the Malayalam hit Oppam but arguing the new climax makes it more engaging than the original, remake tag notwithstanding.

Others went further. A fan review called it an outright blockbuster, praising a first half packed with intensity, and rated the film four out of five. A separate post credited stylish visuals, an effective background score and terrific performances from both leads for keeping the tension alive through the second half, with what it called a surprise at the end.

Saif plays a blind man trying to protect a young girl he believes is in danger, unsure where the threat is coming from. Akshay, in his second Priyadarshan film of the year, plays against type as the antagonist, with reviewers noting the shift in his body language and voice. Multiple posts singled out Saif for a quieter, eyes-do-the-talking performance opposite Akshay's more theatrical villain.

The film also carries a cameo from Mohanlal, who led the Malayalam original, and it appears to be landing exactly the way the makers hoped. One review called his brief appearance one of the biggest moments in the theatre, without giving away details.

Haiwaan also stars Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher, and is produced by Venkat K Narayana and Shailaja Desai Fenn under KVN Productions and Thespian Films.

Whether the positive chatter converts into actual footfalls over the weekend is the real question now. Hindi thrillers with a remake tag and a soft opening day have gone either way before, riding word of mouth into a second and third weekend or fading before Monday. Haiwaan's Saturday numbers, and whether Akshay and Saif's reunion pulls in the audience the reviews suggest it deserves, will tell that story soon enough.