It’s been 19 years since the first Awarapan , a film that bombed at the box office upon release. Today, thanks to the cult following the original developed organically over the years, Awarapan 2 has opened to packed houses, and my show was no different. But there’s no business like film business.
Performance report card
Earlier reporting noted: Shriya Saran says she wasn’t invited to award shows despite nominations after Awarapan’s failure: ‘I was disheartened’ Filmmaker Mohit Suri ’s 2007 film Awarapan, starring Emraan Hashmi , Shriya Saran and Mrinalini Sharma, underperformed at the box office upon release but eventually developed a cult following. He hasn’t aged a day since Awarapan released. Though one question remains: she is introduced as an accomplished cello player, but all she seems to play throughout the film is the same tune. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Shriya recalled being disheartened by the film’s initial box office performance and revealed that she was not even invited to some award shows despite the film receiving nominations.
Because the songs were amazing and Emraan was amazing, she added, “So then, for the longest time, I thought maybe it was the songs they loved,. Because it’s a very intense, intense story. The story picks up from where Awarapan left off. Shivam (Emraan Hashmi) has survived the six bullets pumped into his body in the last scene of the first film. Away from the murky underworld now, he becomes attached to a baby he rescues. He names her Aliyah (Myrah Shivan), after his now-dead sweetheart. However, soon after Aliyah is adopted, Interpol informs him that she was, in fact, being pushed into the child trafficking business. Shivam sets out to save her, but to do so, he needs to earn the trust of Zorawar (Puran Gabbi) and find a place within his gang, which runs the trafficking operation. What follows forms the crux of the plot. Performance-wise, this is the quintessential Emraan Hashmi an entire generation grew up watching. He delivers exactly what is expected of him: brooding intensity, and the kind of effortless cool that made him a star in the first place. Disha Patani, as Zara, Shivam’s love interest, is good for the most part. Either Zara has one favourite composition, or the cello has been given a very limited contract. Now, almost two decades later, its sequel is set to hit theatres. But I don’t know why; I think it was ahead of its time. It was even nominated in some award shows, and they didn’t send me an invite. It was like that. And Awarapan is a movie which I felt would be celebrated; people would love it. So when something like that happens, you kind of feel very disheartened. But now, you know, I feel like people loved the story. They kind of felt it. So people really felt it. Otherwise, the amount of love they’re still giving it, the amount they’re giving to it even now, it wouldn’t be like that. It wouldn’t be.”
Earlier reporting noted: Shriya said, “When the film came out, we all had lots of hopes for it.
Earlier reporting noted: The actor also reflected on the film’s enduring popularity, noting that audiences continued to tell her how much they loved it despite its initial box office performance.
The verdict
It brings back the brooding hero, tragic romance, liberal use of firearms and, most importantly, the music that made the original such a favorite. It doesn’t always keep its pace in check. But there is an old-school charm to its earnestness. It may not be a flawless comeback, but judging by the packed theatres, Shivam’s story still has plenty of life left in it.
Overall, Awarapan 2 is a film from another time, and that is both its biggest strength and weakness. For those who grew up in the 2000s with Emraan Hashmi’s songs on repeat and romantic crime dramas as weekend staples, Awarapan 2 offers a generous dose of nostalgia without completely sacrificing the spectacle of a modern day sequel.
