The road to Awarapan 2 is getting an emotional and strategic push at the box office. As anticipation builds around Emraan Hashmi’s return to one of his most loved characters, the makers are taking audiences back to where it all began. Awarapan, the 2007 Mohit Suri directorial that found a second life as a cult favourite, is heading back to theatres on July 31.
That timing makes the move especially interesting. The re-release arrives just two weeks before Awarapan 2 opens in cinemas on August 14, setting up a nostalgia-fuelled bridge between the original film and its long-awaited follow-up.
Awarapan Returns To The Big Screen On July 31
Box Office Worldwide has exclusively learned that Awarapan will be re-released on July 31. The development underlines how strongly the film continues to resonate nearly two decades after its original run.
A source said, “ Awarapan will re-release on July 31. The first part continues to hold strong recall value due to the casting, subject, emotional and massy moments and most importantly, the timeless music score. Hence, it was decided to bring it in cinemas before the release of Awarapan 2.”
The release date also puts the film in direct competition with a major Hollywood title. The same source said, “It’ll clash with the big Hollywood release film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives in cinemas in India on July 30. Spider-Man will open huge and it won’t be a surprise if the Awarapan re-release also manages to get footfalls.”
An industry insider added, “ Awarapan may have flopped at the box office at the time of its release, but it later attained cult status through television, home video and OTT. There is also an entire generation that was either too young or not even born when the film originally arrived in cinemas. They would love to experience its magic on the big screen. Meanwhile, many fans regret missing the film in theatres during its original run. This sense of regret has played a major role in drawing audiences to cinemas for re-releases. Tumbbad, Sanam Teri Kasam and Laila Majnu underperformed during their initial theatrical runs but emerged as huge hits upon re-release for the same reason. Awarapan is expected to follow suit when it returns to cinemas on July 31.”
Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Mukesh Bhatt under Vishesh Films, Awarapan was released in 2007 as a romantic crime action drama. The film starred Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran, Mrinalini Sharma and Ashutosh Rana. It followed Shivam, a hitman forced to confront guilt, love and redemption after being asked to keep watch on his boss’s mistress. The film underperformed in its first theatrical run, with its India box office pegged at around Rs 12 crore, but its music and emotional core helped it earn lasting recall.
Emraan Hashmi’s Recent And Upcoming Work
Emraan Hashmi’s recent screen work has spanned both streaming and theatrical formats. In 2024, he headlined the Disney+ Hotstar series Showtime and also made a special appearance in Ae Watan Mere Watan. In theatres, he was last seen in Ground Zero in 2025 after delivering one of his most noticed recent performances in the commercially successful Tiger 3 in 2023.
Looking ahead, Awarapan 2 remains one of his key upcoming releases. The sequel stars Hashmi alongside Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi, and is directed by Nitin Kakkar for Vishesh Films. He is also attached to G2, while Awarapan 2 is currently the project most closely tied to his present career momentum.
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