With Haiwaan now in theatres, attention has turned to Oppam, the 2016 Malayalam thriller on which Priyadarshan’s new Hindi film is based. The original starred Mohanlal as Jayaraman, a visually impaired lift operator who gets caught up in a murder case and must protect a young girl from a killer.
Directed and written by Priyadarshan, Oppam was released in September 2016. The film brought Mohanlal and Priyadarshan together for a crime thriller after their earlier collaborations in Malayalam cinema. Oppam was also a commercial success, reportedly earning over Rs 50 crore worldwide.
What is Oppam about?
Oppam follows Jayaraman, a blind man who works as a lift operator in an apartment building. Although he cannot see, he has an unusually sharp sense of hearing, smell and touch. Jayaraman’s life changes after the murder of a resident in the building. He finds himself caught up in the case and becomes a target of suspicion. As the story progresses, he has to use his heightened senses to stay ahead of the real killer and protect a young girl.
The film combines a crime investigation with a cat-and-mouse thriller, with much of the tension coming from Jayaraman’s inability to see the person pursuing him. Mohanlal’s performance was one of the key talking points around the film.
Oppam cast and makers
Mohanlal plays Jayaraman in the lead role. The cast also includes Samuthirakani, Anusree, Vimala Raman, Nedumudi Venu, Baby Meenakshi, Renji Panicker and Mamukkoya. Priyadarshan directed and wrote the screenplay, while Govind Vijayan is credited with the story idea. Antony Perumbavoor produced the film under Aashirvad Cinemas. N K Ekambaram handled cinematography and M S Ayyappan Nair edited the film.
Where to watch Oppam online?
For those who want to watch the original before seeing Haiwaan, Oppam is currently streaming on JioHotstar in India. According to JustWatch’s latest listing, the Malayalam film is available to watch for free with ads on the platform. Oppam has a runtime of around two hours and 37 minutes and is available in Malayalam. The film was later dubbed in Telugu as Kanupapa and in Hindi as Prime Witness.
Oppam and Haiwaan
Haiwaan retains the central premise of the original, with Saif Ali Khan playing the visually impaired protagonist and Akshay Kumar taking on the role of the antagonist. While Oppam featured Mohanlal as Jayaraman, the Hindi adaptation brings the story to a new cast and audience nearly a decade after the original.
Also Read:
Haiwaan Day 1 box office: Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan starrer falls behind Hanuman Ansh and Mirzapur
