One of the most anticipated films of the year, Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan is set to hit screens on September 11. The dark thriller stars Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami Kher. While the trailer has already piqued curiosity, Boman says that despite Priyadarshan’s filmography spanning several genres, the “comedy stamp” continues to follow both the filmmaker and him.

“The comedy stamp always chases me,” Boman said during an exclusive interview with SCREEN.

The conversation came up while discussing Priyadarshan’s body of work. Over the years, the filmmaker has explored several genres, including action, romance and drama. Yet, it is his comedies that audiences most closely associate him with.

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On reuniting with Priyadarshan after 12 years

SCREEN also asked Boman Irani why it took 12 years for the actor and filmmaker to reunite, despite the two being a “deadly combination” of talent. Boman and Priyadarshan had previously worked together in the 2012 film Tezz, which starred Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut.

“I think he had his own group of people whom he was comfortable with. It’s like asking Raju Hirani, ‘Why didn’t you work with so-and-so actor?’ It becomes a family kind of situation, and I think that’s great. But somehow, I was made to believe that I was the first choice for this role,” Boman said.

Watch the trailer of Haiwaan below:

Haiwaan also brings Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan together on the big screen after more than three decades. The actors were last seen together in Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994). Given that Akshay plays a dark character in Haiwaan, we asked Boman if audiences would accept the actor in such a role.

“You watch 3 Idiots. Imagine 3 Idiots was not a good movie. Think about it. What would the acceptance of a character like Virus be? They would say, ‘Irritating.’ But when the movie is good, everything gets accepted. You say, ‘Oh well, that was very interesting. It was pretty good advice.’ Think of Munna Bhai MBBS. Sanjay Dutt was 44 years old, hardly a college-going student. Why did they accept it? The movie was good. The story was good,” said the 66-year-old actor.

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Boman believes the same logic applies to Akshay and Saif’s reunion in Haiwaan

“But if the movie was bad, then people would have questioned, ‘How could they have cast Sanju?’ But the movie was great. So, there was no question of age. Having said that, they (Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan) will be accepted because they are good in the film. But the movie has to be good, and the movie is good,” he concluded.

Haiwaan is the official remake of the Mohanlal starrer Oppam (2016), directed by Priyadarshan.