Source pinkvilla
By Entertainment Desk
September 9, 2026
The Indian box office is gearing up for a thrilling final quarter of 2026, with two veteran superstars headlining major releases that are currently charting vastly different courses. Industry projections highlight a stark contrast in audience anticipation, as Ajay Devgn’s highly awaited Drishyam 3 prepares for a phenomenal start, while Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan’s reunion project, Haiwaan, struggles to generate significant pre-release momentum.
Drishyam 3: A Juggernaut in the Making
Slated for a mammoth Gandhi Jayanti weekend release on October 2, 2026, Drishyam 3 is already rewriting the rulebook for advance buzz in the crime-thriller genre. Ajay Devgn is set to return as the fiercely protective Vijay Salgaonkar in what is billed as the gripping conclusion to the iconic franchise. According to recent trade forecasts, the Abhishek Pathak directorial is eyeing a monumental first-day opening of Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 crore nett at the domestic box office.
This staggering projection underscores the immense brand equity the Drishyam universe holds among Indian theatergoers. The pre-release excitement has only been amplified by the monumental success of its Malayalam counterpart earlier in the year. With a star-studded cast featuring Tabu, Shriya Saran, Prakash Raj, and Jaideep Ahlawat, the Hindi iteration is projected to easily monopolize the post-COVID thriller space. If the movie hits these estimates, it will undoubtedly cement Devgn’s status as the undisputed king of suspense dramas in modern Hindi cinema.
Haiwaan: A Muted Start for a Massive Reunion
On the other end of the spectrum is Haiwaan, directed by comedy and thriller maestro Priyadarshan. Releasing this Friday, September 11, 2026, the film marks an on-screen reunion for Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan after an astonishing 17 years. An official adaptation of the 2016 Malayalam hit Oppam, the movie features Saif as a blind caretaker wrongfully framed for murder, and Akshay as a relentless, vengeful antagonist named Parshuram.
Despite the sheer nostalgia and a heavy-hitting cast—which includes Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and a cameo by Mohanlal—Haiwaan has seemingly failed to register on the radar of the masses. Advance bookings, which opened earlier this week, have been expectedly lackluster. With virtually no major organic hype driving ticket sales leading up to the release, box office analysts have significantly revised the opening day forecast downwards.
Currently, the Priyadarshan-directed thriller is tracking for a tepid Day 1 collection in the range of Rs. 4 to Rs. 7 crore. The film’s opening weekend survival now leans heavily on on-the-spot walk-up audience business, hoping the face value of its leading men can draw in crowds. Ultimately, positive word-of-mouth following the earliest shows will be crucial to giving the collections a much-needed nudge for the evening and late-night shows.
As the box office prepares for these incoming titans, the contrasting fates of Drishyam 3 and Haiwaan prove once again that while star power is a vital component, franchise loyalty and well-crafted hype often dictate the absolute ceiling for a film’s opening day.
