Awarapan 2 has finally arrived in theatres after nearly two decades of anticipation, bringing Emraan Hashmi back as Shivam Pandit. Released on August 14, 2026, the film attempts to continue the emotional and action-driven world of the 2007 cult favourite Awarapan.
The sequel has opened strongly at the box office and has received a generally positive response from audiences, although critics have been more divided over its story and emotional depth.
Awarapan 2 Movie Details
- Movie: Awarapan 2
- Release Date: August 14, 2026
- Director: Nitin Kakkar
- Lead Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi, Puran Gabbi, Suvinder Vicky and others
- Genre: Action, Crime, Romantic
- Runtime: Around 2 hours 20 minutes
- Language: Hindi
- Rating: UA 16+
- Current IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Current BookMyShow Rating: Around 8.3/10
The audience ratings are particularly strong, with thousands of viewers already rating the film.
Awarapan 2 Story
Awarapan 2 continues Shivam Pandit’s story several years after the events of the first film. Shivam is still carrying the emotional scars of his past and remains connected to the memory of Aaliyah.
His life changes when he becomes attached to a young abandoned child whom he names Aaliyah. When the child becomes connected to a dangerous criminal and trafficking network, Shivam is forced to return to the violent world he had left behind.
His mission takes him to Bangkok, where he has to enter a dangerous criminal network and confront powerful enemies. Along the way, the film also introduces Zara, played by Disha Patani, and adds a new emotional layer to Shivam’s journey.
The story combines crime, action, romance, sacrifice and nostalgia, while trying to recreate the dark emotional atmosphere associated with the original film.
Awarapan 2 Movie Review
Awarapan 2 is clearly designed for viewers who have a strong connection with the first film. The biggest advantage of the sequel is Emraan Hashmi himself.
As Shivam Pandit, Hashmi once again brings the quiet intensity, pain and attitude that made the character memorable. His performance is one of the strongest aspects of the movie, particularly in the emotional scenes and action sequences.
The film also benefits from its old-school presentation. Instead of trying to completely modernise the franchise, the makers retain the brooding hero, emotional romance, crime world, dramatic background music and larger-than-life action.
However, the story is not as powerful as the original. Some parts of the screenplay are predictable, and the romantic track does not always have the same emotional impact. A few plot developments also feel convenient.
This is where Awarapan 2 becomes more of a nostalgic action entertainer than a truly great emotional sequel. Several critics appreciated the performances, nostalgia and action but felt that the screenplay lacked some of the depth of the 2007 film.
What Works
- Emraan Hashmi’s performance as Shivam
- Strong nostalgic connection with the original
- Action sequences
- Emotional moments
- Background score
- Bangkok and Rajasthan locations
- Puran Gabbi’s performance
- Mass-friendly presentation
- Familiar Awarapan atmosphere
What Doesn’t Work
- Predictable portions of the story
- Romance could have been stronger
- Some convenient plot developments
- The emotional depth does not consistently match the original
- Music does not completely recreate the impact of the first film
Emraan Hashmi’s Performance
Emraan Hashmi is easily the biggest reason to watch Awarapan 2.
Nearly 19 years after the first film, he returns to a character that fits his screen persona extremely well. Shivam remains quiet, damaged and emotionally complicated, and Hashmi plays those qualities naturally.
The film also gives him several action-heavy and mass-oriented moments. These scenes have reportedly received strong reactions inside theatres, particularly from fans who wanted to see Hashmi return to this type of role.
Disha Patani is also effective in her role, while Puran Gabbi has emerged as one of the more positively noticed supporting performers. Shabana Azmi adds weight to the cast, although her role could have been larger.
Music and Background Score
Music was one of the biggest reasons Awarapan developed a cult following over the years, so expectations for the sequel’s soundtrack were naturally very high.
The sequel brings back some familiar musical elements and uses songs from the original to strengthen the nostalgia factor. The background score works particularly well during the action and emotional portions.
However, the new soundtrack has not created exactly the same cultural impact as the original album. Even before release, some new songs received mixed reactions online, while other listeners appreciated their emotional and nostalgic feel.
For many fans, hearing the familiar Awarapan songs inside a theatre is still one of the biggest highlights of the sequel.
Awarapan 2 Public Reaction
The public reaction has been mostly positive, especially among Emraan Hashmi fans and viewers who grew up with the original Awarapan.
Social-media reactions have frequently highlighted:
- Emraan Hashmi’s comeback as Shivam
- Nostalgia for the original film
- Action sequences
- Background music
- Emotional scenes
- The second half
- The overall early-2000s Bollywood atmosphere
Some viewers, however, feel that the sequel depends too heavily on nostalgia and does not reach the emotional level of the original.
This has created an interesting difference between critics and general audiences: audiences appear considerably more enthusiastic, while critics have generally given the film moderate-to-positive scores.
Awarapan 2 Critics Ratings
Current published ratings from major movie-review platforms and critics include:
| Review category | Rating |
|---|---|
| IMDb audience rating | 7.4/10 |
| BookMyShow audience rating | 8.3/10 |
| Critic rating | 3/5 |
| Critic rating | 3.5/5 |
| Critic rating | 3.5/5 |
| Strongest audience sentiment | Positive |
The IMDb rating is based on around 5,000 votes, while the BookMyShow rating is based on more than 30,000 votes, making the audience response noticeably stronger than the average critical response so far.
Awarapan 2 Day 1 Box Office Collection
Awarapan 2 opened strongly on August 14, 2026.
According to the latest reported trade figures, the film collected approximately:
- India Day 1 Net: ₹21.50 crore
- India Day 1 Gross: ₹25.80 crore
- Overseas Day 1 Gross: ₹2 crore
- Worldwide Day 1 Gross: ₹27.80 crore
Some trade reports round the India opening to around ₹22 crore, so a Day 1 India net figure of roughly ₹21.5–22 crore is the safest representation of the current data.
This made Awarapan 2 Emraan Hashmi’s biggest opening-day grosser, comfortably surpassing the opening figures of his earlier films. It also earned several times more on its first day than the original Awarapan, which had a very modest theatrical opening in 2007.
Awarapan 2 Worldwide Box Office
The film’s worldwide performance has been even more impressive.
After its first three days, Awarapan 2 had reached approximately ₹110.10 crore worldwide, including around ₹98.10 crore gross from India. Its India net collection stood at approximately ₹81.75 crore at that stage.
This means the movie crossed the ₹100 crore worldwide mark in just three days, turning its strong opening into a major early box-office success.
Awarapan 2 vs Awarapan
The original Awarapan was not a major theatrical success when it was released in 2007, but its reputation grew considerably over the years.
Its music, emotional story and Emraan Hashmi’s performance eventually helped it develop a cult following. The sequel has benefited directly from that long-term popularity.
The difference at the box office is remarkable: the original reportedly collected around ₹7.75 crore during its entire theatrical run, while Awarapan 2 crossed that figure within hours of its release.
Is Awarapan 2 Worth Watching?
Yes, particularly if you enjoyed the first Awarapan or are a fan of Emraan Hashmi.
The sequel may not completely recreate the emotional magic of the 2007 original, but it delivers enough action, nostalgia, music and Emraan Hashmi’s screen presence to make it an entertaining theatrical experience.
For fans, the biggest attraction is seeing Shivam Pandit back on the big screen after almost two decades.
For viewers who have never watched the original, the movie can still work as an action-crime drama, although watching Awarapan first will make the emotional references and nostalgia much more meaningful.
Final Verdict
Awarapan 2 is a nostalgic and entertaining sequel that works mainly because of Emraan Hashmi’s powerful return as Shivam Pandit.
The film has some predictable writing and does not consistently match the emotional depth of the original, but its action, performances, background score and nostalgic presentation give it enough appeal.
The strongest sign of its success is the audience response and box-office performance. With a strong Day 1 opening, a ₹100 crore-plus worldwide total within three days and healthy audience ratings, Awarapan 2 has clearly connected with the fans who had been waiting for Shivam’s return.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
Awarapan 2 Verdict: A solid nostalgic action entertainer and a good theatrical watch for Emraan Hashmi and Awarapan fans.
