Nineteen years after the original bombed at the box office, its sequel just did something almost no film manages — turning a cult flop’s legacy into a genuine commercial win.
Awarapan 2, starring Emraan Hashmi, Disha Patani, and Shabana Azmi, added a modest Rs. 1 crore on its third Saturday, pushing its India total to Rs. 142.30 crore nett. Trade estimates suggest the film will close its full run around Rs. 150 crore — a number few expected when the sequel to a 2007 “disaster” was greenlit.
That’s the real story here. The original Awarapan flopped hard on release but slowly built a cult following through TV reruns and its soulful soundtrack. Turning that legacy into a full-blown sequel success, rather than a nostalgic misfire, is rare territory — there’s barely any precedent for a sequel to a bonafide flop becoming an outright hit on this scale.
Awarapan 2: Collections Snapshot
| Phase | Nett Collection |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Rs. 111.50 crore |
| Week 2 (Fri–Thu) | Rs. 28.70 crore |
| 3rd Friday | Rs. 1.10 crore |
| 3rd Saturday | Rs. 1.00 crore (est.) |
| Running Total | Rs. 142.30 crore |
Director Nitin Kakkar’s film has also ended a personal drought for its lead — this marks Emraan Hashmi’s first solo Hit in years, after a long stretch of underperformers since his early-2010s peak with films like Murder 2 and Jannat 2. His next outing, Gunmaster G9, reunites him with Himesh Reshammiya.
The trend isn’t isolated either — last year saw older flops like Sanam Teri Kasam and Laila Majnu find new life through re-releases. Awarapan 2 is now doing something similar, but on a much bigger scale, as a full sequel rather than a re-release.
Curious how the buzz built before release? Revisit TechnoSports’ report on Awarapan 2’s record-breaking advance bookings that hinted at this comeback early on.
