Haiwaan producer on star demands, work hours and rising entourage costs

Haiwaan producer Shailaja Desai Fenn believes the dynamics of filmmaking have evolved, with actors increasingly understanding the financial realities of a project. From rising entourage costs to discussions about working hours, she feels these aspects need to be approached with greater flexibility and mutual understanding between producers, directors and actors. Ahead of Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan-starrer release, Desai, in an interview with India Today, opened up about the changing equation on film sets and why having stars on board does not necessarily mean producers have to accommodate every demand.“Every actor that there is, they understand the dynamics of films today. If a film can afford it, great. But if it can’t, I am sure every actor understands that today,” she said, speaking about rising entourage costs.As for working hours, the producer added, “I feel it’s a mutual thing between a producer, director and an actor to sort, and also very personal.”For Fenn, Haiwaan is only her second feature film after Balan The Boy and she mentioned how she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. “It’s been fantastic to work with these three highly commendable artists. And for all of them to trust us as first-time producers, it means a lot. While the stars were absolutely professional, it was a crash course in filmmaking while working with Priyadarshan,” Desai told us. Haiwaan is Priyadarshan’s take on the 2016 Malayalam thriller Oppam, which starred Mohanlal. Nearly a decade later, the filmmaker has reworked the story for Hindi audiences, and the producer too doesn’t see it as a simple remake.“In terms of actors, they bring their own to the film. So, definitely, to watch that is a novelty. And it’s a different language, plus this film was made back in 2016. We are 10 years in, so there is a lot of today in the film as well. To be very honest, I look at it as two different films. And if you watch it, you will know what I am talking about,” she opined. A film with such stalwarts associated with it will naturally be expected to perform at the box office and the producer doesn’t shy away from that reality. She maintains that she also looks at this as a business and will therefore expect the film to do well economically.But she is also aware that a producer cannot control everything once a film leaves the production floor. “We are committed to delivering a good film. Once you do that, not much is in your hands after that. I would not say that it’s not important, but at the same time, it’s not that it’s in your control. What you can do is give your best to the film, and then it’s there for the people to love it,” she said.Haiwaan is a co-production between KVN Productions and Thespian Films, which Shailaja owns with her husband, Satish Fenn.The conversation with Fenn could not end without touching upon her emotions surrounding Balan The Boy, her first release as a producer and a film that has been touted as a strong contender to be India’s entry for the Oscars. Directed by Chidambaram, the film released in June and gave Desai Fenn the opportunity to experience a very different kind of project, from taking it through production to witnessing its response from audiences.Interestingly, both Balan The Boy and Haiwaan were shot around the same period, making the two projects an especially significant part of her journey as a producer.The response to Balan has also strengthened a belief Desai Fenn seems to carry into her new film — that audiences are far more perceptive than the industry sometimes assumes. “I think, you know what, I really feel that audience is very smart. They can sense a good film. Even if you are dancing on their head, showing them, look, this is what I have, they are very smart to understand what is good. There’s a vibe of the film, as they say, and they know it. If you genuinely pour your heart into a product, I am sure people will understand that.”'Directed by Priyadarshan, Haiwaan is set to release in theatres on September 11.- EndsPublished By: Prachi aryaPublished On: Sep 9, 2026 13:23 IST