As fans eagerly await Awarapan 2, the sequel to Mohit Suri’s 2007 gangster drama, the original film continues to find a new audience nearly two decades after its release. Starring Emraan Hashmi and Shriya Saran, the film did not perform as expected at the box office. For Shriya, who was still finding her footing in the Hindi film industry at the time, Awarapan was particularly significant. In a recent interview, the actor reflected on the film, its initial failure and the love it has received over the years.
Speaking to Pinkvilla about how she came to be part of the film, Shriya recalled that Mohit had seen one of her earlier films and subsequently asked her to do a look test. She also remembered how deeply invested Emraan was in the film. “For Emraan, that film was very important. And he always loved this film, this story,” she said, adding that she particularly enjoyed working with Mohit because of his intense approach to filmmaking. “For me, I enjoyed doing this film because Mohit is a very intense director to work with. When he narrates the scenes, explains them, and the way he directs, it’s very intense.”
Describing Mohit’s process, Shriya said the filmmaker would go beyond simply explaining a scene or its dialogue. “So first, he’ll explain it to you, then the lines will come to you, and then he’ll give you that whole meaning of why he wrote this, what was in his mind when he wrote this scene, what it means to the movie, where it comes, how important it is for him, and what he wants you to feel at that point in time.” She also praised his ability to draw emotionally honest performances from his actors. “So he’s really a very intense director to work with. Like, he really brings your soul out. And he’s very talented. So I’m so happy that now finally, I think his movies have always done good. But right now, he’s flying,” she said.
Looking back at Awarapan’s release, however, she admitted that its initial reception was difficult to process. “When the film came out, and we all had lots of hopes with it. But I don’t know why, I think it was ahead of its time,” she said. She also recalled being nominated for several awards but not being invited to the ceremonies. “They didn’t send me an invite. It was like that.”
For Shriya, the disconnect between the film’s eventual reputation and its theatrical performance was particularly painful because she had always believed that it deserved to be celebrated. “And Awarapan is a movie which I felt should be celebrated; people will love it. So when something like that happens, you kind of feel very disheartened.” What made the experience more confusing was that people continued to tell her how much they loved the film, even though that affection did not translate into box-office numbers. “And then people kept telling me, ‘We loved the movie, we loved the movie.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, but, like, you know, why is it not translating? Why is it not translating in numbers?’” she recalled.
She initially believed that the film’s enduring popularity might largely be attributed to its music and Emraan Hashmi’s performance. But with time, she came to believe that audiences had connected more deeply with its story and emotional core. “So then, for the longest time, I thought maybe it was the songs they loved, because the songs were amazing and Emraan was amazing. But now, you know, I feel like people loved the story. They kind of felt it.”
Calling Awarapan “a very intense story”, Shriya said its continued resonance is proof that audiences connected with its emotions even if they did not turn up for it in large numbers when it released. “Because it’s a very intense, intense story. So people really felt it. Otherwise, the amount of love they’re still giving it, the amount they’re giving to it even now, it wouldn’t be like that. It wouldn’t be.”
