Emraan Hashmi announces 'Awarapan 2' shoot to start in July; reveals 2 years spent on script

In March, Emraan Hashmi announced on his birthday the sequel to his 2007 flm 'Awarapan'. The clip showed his character standing on a boat and watching the sunset over the city skyline, with the song Tera Mera Rishta playing in the background. Emraan teased fans with an announcement stating the film will be released on April 3, 2026. While the original Awarapan, co-starring Shriya Saran, had a modest box office response, it quickly gained a strong fan following.

Emraan Hashmi reveals sequel
In an interview with News18 Showsha, Emraan shared that the much-awaited sequel will begin shooting by the end of July. However, he clarified that it wasn’t this recent public attention that led to the announcement of the sequel.

'Awarapan' fandom
Emraan recalled an interesting fan encounter, saying the public’s love for Awarapan has been strong for 15 years. He shared a story from six months ago when a fan in a Dubai coffee shop showed him a tattoo of Awarapan, featuring a pigeon symbolizing freedom. he was so moved that he messaged Vishesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt, telling them, "We’re doing something right."

Scripting process
The actor revealed that the script for Awarapan 2 has been in the works for over a year. The makers didn’t want to rush into a sequel for the sake of it, and only after finalizing the script this year did they decide to announce it. He highlights the lasting appeal of the film, saying, "Imagine the kind of draw the film had after its theatrical run."

Awarapan's lasting popularity
The actor explained that the film gained a massive fan base over time, thanks to platforms like the internet, YouTube, satellite TV, and even torrents. He believes this shows that a film’s impact isn’t limited to its theatrical release. If a film is good, people will continue to engage with it long after it leaves cinemas.

He reflected on how Awarapan has gained tremendous respect over time, despite its initial lack of success in 2007. He found it surprising that what the film didn’t achieve at the box office in its early weeks, it gained over the span of 20 years. It went on to garner so much respect and so many eyeballs. There was some truth in my performance in it, and that’s when I told myself that I only want to do performance-driven films," Emraan stated.