'Awarapan 2' review: Emraan's action thriller is watchable but predictable
What's the story
Mohit Suri shattered and healed hearts in 2007 with Awarapan. As Emraan Hashmi wallowed in pain while Mustafa Zahid sang Toh Phir Aao and Tera Mera Rishta, the audience formed an everlasting connection with the film. Now, nearly two decades later, Shivam Pandit has returned in Awarapan 2, helmed by Nitin Kakkar. Does the sequel live up to the mammoth expectations? Here's our review.
Plot
Shivam dedicates himself to a cause
The story follows Shivam (Hashmi), the dreaded gangster and devastated lover whose heart aches for his dead girlfriend, Aaliyah (Shriya Saran).
One day, he stumbles upon an abandoned baby girl in a cemetery, whom he names Aaliyah and quickly grows close to.
However, a few days later, Aaliyah becomes the victim of a child trafficking ring, prompting Shivam to find her in Bangkok.
#1
Hashmi commits himself to the role
It's no easy feat to reprise and reinvent a character after 19 years, but Hashmi achieves this effortlessly.
We revisit Shivam's passionate but short-lived romance with Aaliyah in flashback scenes, and we believe him when he says, "Dard se purana rishta hai mera."
This is a brooding character, a man of few words, and a recluse who has spent his life braving the odds.
#2
Completely banks on nostalgia
The film begins with the melodious, heartbreaking notes of Toh Phir Aao, with Shivam visiting Aaliyah's grave.
There's another part just before the climax, when Shivam's life is on the line, and terrific action pieces play out while Tera Mera Rishta sizzles in the background.
It's the film's most memorable scene.
If you're a hardcore fan, perhaps these sequences will transport you to 2007!
#3
Watch out for its beautiful frames
The film features cinematography by Vishnu Rao, who has previously been a part of projects such as Bhoothnath, Aashiqui 2, Good Newwz, Hamari Adhuri Kahani, and Dhadak, among others.
No wonder, then, that the frames look so enchanting. Rao constantly plays with colors, and the movie is visually captivating.
The narrative might be inconsistent, but the frames remain consistently splendid.
#4
Shabana Azmi's role could have been better
Shabana Azmi, as drug lord Nafisa, is an inspired casting choice. She has a blast playing the villain, but this is more an extended cameo and less a full-fledged role.
You always want to see more of Nafisa, but the script doesn't know what to do with her.
This is also true of Disha Patani's character, Zara, whose potential is, as expected, curtailed.
#5
Looking for a love story? Look the other way
If Awarapan was a passionate love story, Awarapan 2 massively deviates from that core theme.
Why call it Awarapan 2 if the soul is completely different?
Too many sequels try to emulate the success of the first part, forgetting about the ingenuity that made the original successful.
Apart from Shivam, we barely know the other characters, and the emotional beats are completely amiss.
#6
Needed a better, more impressive villain
Puran Gabbi, as the central antagonist Zorawar, brings wacky mannerisms to his role, but the film needed a formidable actor who could inspire dread.
This is why Ashish Vidyarthi and Ashutosh Rana dominated Awarapan—they knew how to spin their villainous roles impactfully.
Awarapan 2 tries to be both a romantic story and a suspense thriller, but ends up being awkwardly stuck between the genres.
Verdict
Watchable, but the script could have been tighter; 3/5 stars
Tera Mera Rishta is the beating heart of the film, essentially the film's co-lead.
The new songs (Ve Junoon, Yeh Awarapan) are rather unmemorable, so the old soundtrack, yet again, saves the drama.
At 140 minutes, Awarapan 2 is decently paced and might succeed commercially due to the cult following, but its story leaves much to be desired.
3/5 stars.