Awarapan 2 Movie Review: Emraan Hashmi’s Action Sequel Gets 3/5, Nostalgia Works But Formulaic Story Falls Short

Awarapan 2 Movie Review: “Awarapan 2” sees Emraan Hashmi reprise one of his most iconic roles as Shivam Pandit. Directed by Nitin Kakkar, this sequel manages to shift the locations, add layers to the plot, and evoke nostalgia with ease. But in spite of the film being a pure mass entertainer, it fails to deliver on the emotional front due to a formulaic script.

Awarapan 2 Storyline

Awarapan 2 picks up from where the first film left off. As it turns out, Shivam (Emraan Hashmi) survived the fall and subsequently took care of an abandoned child that was found at Aaliyah’s (Shriya Saran) grave. Shivam took the child in as his own and named her Aaliyah (Myrah Shivan).

Years later, Aaliyah becomes a part of a child-trafficking ring, and Shivam finds himself investigating the ring that takes him back to the familiar hunting grounds of Bangkok, where he has to take on rival gangs. But he finds himself entangled in the fate of Zara (Disha Patani) and her autistic brother, who are under the guardianship of Zorawar, a rival criminal overlord.

Meanwhile, Shivam’s own dark past comes back to haunt him with flashbacks of Aaliyah becoming a part of his life. It all comes together in an undercover operation that exposes corruption and gang wars with Shivam’s past coming back to the forefront.

Cast Performances

Emraan Hashmi continues to be the scene-stealer in Awarapan 2 with his portrayal of Shivam. He brings in the required gravitas to the role even as the character becomes more one-dimensional. But his action scenes continue to deliver in spades. Disha Patani is better than in her last film, but romance between her character and Hashmi’s character doesn’t quite work. The role allows Shabana Azmi to deliver gravitas, but she is wasted.

Puran Gabbi shines as the larger-than-life villain Zorawar. Suvinder Vicky is good, especially with the conflicted role that his character plays.

What Works

Nostalgia continues to be the glue that holds Awarapan 2 together. The fact that the film plays to its crowd by invoking the legacy of the original film via emotional beats, character references, and especially “Tera Mera Rishta” is what gives it heart.

The action is another plus, especially because the thrilling opening scene delivers on a mass scale. The location is a nice change too for Shivam as he goes from Hong Kong to Bangkok. But most importantly, Hashmi’s energy is what makes the film so entertaining whenever he is on screen.

What Does Not Work

It is surprising that the script of Awarapan 2 is as formulaic and derivative as it is. It has all the same beats as your typical crime thriller with infiltration, betrayal, suspected moles, and so on. The flashbacks are also an unwelcome respite, as the viewer expects more development given the sequel nature of the film and the fact that Shivam’s backstory is already known.

Shabana Azmi’s character is wasted, and the concluding act is nowhere as satisfying as the original film’s conclusion.

Watch Awarapan 2 Trailer

Note: I hope this article is very useful for you. If you like this article, please share it with your friends and family, and also let us know your queries in the comments.