Writer Clarifies Film's Intent
Bilal Siddiqi, writer of the upcoming film Awarapan 2, has clarified that the movie was never meant to be a love story. In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Siddiqi addressed the perception that the sequel would follow the romantic trajectory of its predecessor, stating that the original Awarapan had very few romantic moments to be called a love story.
"Those who have watched Awarapan would agree that the romance in it was also limited. It is a part of his backstory," Siddiqi said, as quoted by NewsBytes. He elaborated that the film was about a man who lost his lover and doesn't want others to lose their happy lives. "The man was trapped in a world of gangsters; it had action, drama, romance, and every element we also stayed true to. This chatter that the film being a love story was born on the internet," he added.
Times Now reported that Awarapan became a cult movie several years after its theatrical release and was hailed as one of the best films made on love. The Mohit Suri directorial gained a loyal fanbase for Shivam and Aliyah's romance. However, Awarapan 2 focuses more on gangster drama and a rescue operation, a departure that some audience members might not have expected.
A Second Chance at Love
Siddiqi explained that in Awarapan 2, the protagonist Shivam meets Disha Patani's character Zara on a larger journey of saving someone. "She signifies a shot at a second chance at love," he said, as quoted by NewsBytes. Times Now added that Zara is described as someone who could hold a better future for Shivam, though the writer posed a question: "Is it a future he takes forward, or is he still stuck with the ghosts of the past?"
"It was never supposed to be an out-and-out love story," Siddiqi stated. "It was supposed to hold the themes of Awarapan and explore the redemption of love, action, and gangsters." This aligns with the film's plot, which centers on Shivam's grief and a rescue mission rather than a conventional romance.
Plot Overview
Awarapan 2 follows Shivam (Emraan Hashmi) as he grieves the death of Aliyah (Shriya Saran). One day, he finds a baby girl in a graveyard and names her Aliyah (Myrah Shivan). When the child grows up, she is adopted by traffickers who are later killed by Interpol's Samarth Singh (Atul Kumar). Singh then wants Shivam to go to Bangkok to rescue Aliyah and 40 other children.
In Bangkok, Shivam meets Zara (Disha Patani), the daughter of crime lord Amrit Singh. Zara's brother Zoravar (Puran Gabbi) is responsible for the child trafficking racket. Zara is described as the only ray of light in the dark world, and the film unfolds as Zara and Shivam find their purposes in their lives.
Awarapan 2 is directed by Nitin Kakkar and also stars Shabana Azmi, Puran Gabbi, Suvinder Vicky, and Aniruddh Rawal. The film released on August 14.