Succeeding a cult movie is not an easy task. The film has to remind the audience of the originality that stole their hearts but, on the other hand, bring something new and exciting. Awarapan 2 seems to be trying to do the same by bringing back Emraan Hashmi as Shivam Pandit almost twenty years later after the first part of the movie. There’s quite a lot of nostalgia in the film. The filmmaker has attempted to recreate the initial environment and action which appeals to those who’ve seen Awarapan in 2007. However, nostalgia can take the movie only so far. Unfortunately, Awarapan 2 seems to be experiment with reproducing what made the original memorable without exactly understanding it.

Storyline

Aaliyah is an orphan who is adopted by Shivam's friend in unexpected circumstances. She is found in trouble and Shivam reveals his brave side. He travels from one dangerous place to another on his quest to Bangkok and fights with the dangerous gangsters. He also meets Zara in the process and falls in love with her. As soon as Zara causes some trouble, the brave Shivam reappears. The protagonist goes to Bangkok and fights the gang. At the same time, the girl named Zara, who is portrayed by Disha Patani, becomes his spouse.

Positive Points

The instalment has a good foundation because of the emotional angle and Shivam’s relationship with Aaliyah. However, the screenplay fails to pick up its pace throughout the movie. The film becomes utterly predictable. Without a doubt, the main reason for watching Awarapan 2 is Emraan Hashmi. He brings back that intensity which the audiences recognized from his previous action films; while at the same time, he also adds enough of the vulnerability in order to elevate his character. The fans who have been eagerly awaiting the time when they will get to see Emraan performing a similar role again have a lot to look forward to in Awarapan. He has maintained his reputation as a good actor; he is always the one who brings the film back on track whenever it threatens to lose its momentum.

But the most exciting part of Awarapan comes in the form of Puran Gabbi. Puran has the entire essence of the movie in him. His unpredictability as a villain makes him distinctive even while sharing screen space with an actor like Emraan. Even Zorawar’s character is not any straightforward antagonist; he is a fully developed character, who is interesting enough for the audience to pay attention to. The dynamic between Zorawar and his brothers makes for an interesting part of the screenplay as well. There are action sequences that will make the film exciting for the masses, as well as some moments specifically meant to be watched out for!

Negative Points

The story is the weakest point in the film. While Awarapan had an emotional heart that made its romantic and action content meaningful, its sequel struggles to achieve the same emotion. There are some emotional elements here but they fail to create an impact.

The screenplay can be far too predictable at times. The audience will manage to guess the plot twists before they appear on the screen thus reducing their effect. Disha Patani is another drawback of the film. Although she is good-looking, she doesn’t seem to fit the emotional world of the film. Her romantic connection with Emraan can’t compare to the chemistry between the protagonists in Awarapan.

Then comes music. The sequel can be called disappointing since it completely lacks the great soundtrack of Awarapan. The initial film had one of catchy music that became one of its main features. Awarapan 2 doesn’t have this musical grace. Even though there are some familiar elements in the music, it hasn’t created the lasting effect as the original soundtrack. Thus, the main problem of the film is that it lacks the charm of Awarapan. There are moments when the sequel comes close, especially during Emraan's emotional scenes and the action-heavy portions. But the magic never fully arrives.

Overall: Awarapan 2 does manage to avoid being a disappointment. Both Emraan Hashmi and Puran Gabbi shine in the movie, especially with the latter’s character Zorawar being a standout performance. They lend a lot of life to the movie and make it a fun watch, especially in the action parts of the movie.

However, Awarapan 2 is still a film that ultimately suffers from several shortcomings including its weak and predictable storyline, below-average romantic track, bad starcasting of Disha Patani and music that is far from what the first film had to offer. What is more, the film has also got the emotional punch and charm that the 2007 film managed to establish, which was perhaps the reason why it became a cult classic.