After years of anticipation, Emraan Hashmi is back as Shivam Pandit, and the first reactions to Awarapan 2 suggest that the character has lost none of his impact. The sequel to the 2007 cult favourite arrived in theatres worldwide on August 14, bringing back the brooding and intense protagonist while taking his story in a new direction. Directed by Nitin Kakkar and backed by Vishesh Films, Awarapan 2 also stars Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi .
This time, Shivam finds himself caught between redemption, love and the dangerous criminal world once again, with his relationship with a child becoming a key part of the emotional story.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh was among those who shared an early verdict on the film, praising both Hashmi’s return and the sequel’s nostalgic appeal. He wrote, “#OneWordReview… #Awarapan2: SMASH-HIT. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ #EmraanHashmi returns as #ShivamPandit, and what a return it is… He is the SOUL of #Awarapan2… Mass-appealing moments + tremendous nostalgia value… SURE-SHOT SUCCESS. He highlighted the emotional core of the sequel, particularly Shivam’s bond with the child, while appreciating the way the film mixes drama with action. He noted, “What stands out most about #Awarapan2 is Shivam’s story – this time, his bond with a child takes centre stage… The narrative takes a completely different path, with action pieces generously sprinkled across the proceedings. He further praised Hashmi’s performance, saying, “brings vulnerability, intensity, and a lived-in quality to the character, making Shivam’s journey deeply affecting… This is one of the most compelling performances of his filmography. Another viewer praised the film for balancing its emotional moments with the larger-than-life treatment, writing, “#Awarapan2: BLOCKBUSTER! Emraan Hashmi owns it as Shivam Pandit. Massy, emotional, nostalgic & powerful. Outstanding performance + Soulful music. Disha patani good work. Shabana Azmi superb. The second part of Awarapan kicks off with Shivam Pandit who is still haunted by the loss of Aaliyah from the first movie. His life takes another unexpected turn when he gets an opportunity to save a baby girl’s life. This looks like an opportunity to get rid of his guilt until it leads him into the dangerous world of child trafficking. He goes to Bangkok where he is supposed to hunt down the person responsible for this whole scam. Thus, this film differs from its predecessor as the protagonist of the first film embarks on yet another struggle but this time he is emotionally scarred. The screen play has been done by Bilal Siddiqui and Vishesh Bhatt is the producer of the film, which has been presented by Mukesh Bhatt.
