Filmmaker Mohit Suri's 2007 film Awarapan may not have made a strong impact at the box office when it first arrived, but the Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran and Mrinalini Sharma-starrer slowly found its audience over the years. Almost two decades later, the film has built a loyal following, and its sequel is now ready to arrive in theatres.
Looking back at Awarapan's initial reception, Shriya Saran recently spoke to Pinkvilla about how disappointed she was by the film's box-office performance. She also recalled an experience that made the situation even more disheartening, saying she was not invited to some award shows even though the film had received nominations.
Shriya Saran recalls Awarapan's box-office disappointment
Shriya said the team had high hopes when Awarapan released, but the film's box-office performance left them disappointed. Looking back, she feels it may have been "ahead of its time". She also recalled that the film received nominations at some award shows, yet she was not invited to attend them.
"It was even nominated in some award shows, and they didn't send me an invite," she recalled.
"And Awarapan is a movie which I felt would be celebrated; people would love it. So when something like that happens, you kind of feel very disheartened," the actor added.
The actor also spoke about how the film's reception changed over time. Audiences continued approaching her to tell her how much they loved Awarapan, even years after its theatrical run.
For a long time, Shriya wondered whether the film's popular music and Emraan Hashmi's performance were the main reasons behind its lasting appeal. But with time, she began to feel that audiences had connected with the story itself.
Awarapan's cult legacy continues with the upcoming sequel
Awarapan is a 2007 Hindi romantic action drama directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt. The film starred Emraan Hashmi, Mrinalini Sharma and Shriya Saran, with Emraan playing Shivam Pandit, a troubled gangster whose life begins to change after he is asked to keep watch over a Pakistani woman named Aaliyah.
The film's songs, including "Toh Phir Aao", "Tera Mera Rishta" and "Mahiya", became extremely popular and contributed to its lasting appeal.
Now, almost two decades after the original, Awarapan 2 is heading to theatres. Directed by Nitin Kakkar, the sequel stars Emraan Hashmi, Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi in lead roles.
Scheduled to release on August 14, Awarapan 2 will clash with Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947.
Watch the trailer of Awarapan 2 below:
ALSO READ:
Awarapan director Mohit Suri reviews Emraan Hashmi's sequel trailer: 'I've passed the baton'
