Priyadarshan's upcoming Hindi film Haiwaan, which stars Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar in the lead roles, began filming in Kochi on Saturday.

The movie, a remake of his 2016 Malayalam film Oppam, is currently in production. Speaking to OnManorama during the film's production, Priyadarshan disclosed that Mohanlal will appear on screen alongside Akshay and Saif.

Although Haiwaan is a remake of Oppam, Priyadarshan told the publication that the screenplay and dialogue have undergone many changes.

The director announced that Mohanlal, who portrayed the main character in the original movie, would also make a special cameo in the remake, as production got underway in Panampilly Nagar.

He said, “His character will definitely be a surprise to the audience.” When Priyadarshan was asked about his frequent collaborations with Akshay, he replied, “It’s all about comfort. For me, he is Bollywood’s Mohanlal.”

In Haiwaan, Akshay and Saif, who collaborated on films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) and Tashan (2008), are getting back together after a long break.

On his social media accounts, Akshay shared a video from the first day of the movie's production. In the video, Saif and Priyadarshan are seen joking around while Akshay holds the clapboard.