Awarapan 2 is set to arrive in cinemas this weekend, bringing attention back to the 2007 cult favourite. Shriya Saran, who played a pivotal role in the original Awarapan, recently spoke exclusively with Pinkvilla about her experience of working with Emraan Hashmi and filmmaker Mohit Suri. The actress revealed that she had previously met Suri for another project that eventually did not take off. She also opened up about how the original film’s box-office performance left her disappointed.
Shriya Saran on Awarapan and Mohit Suri’s intense filmmaking
Describing Mohit Suri as an “intense” filmmaker, Shriya Saran explained why Awarapan held particular significance for Emraan Hashmi. She said, “Emraan ke liye wo film bahut important thi. He always loved this film, this story. For me, I enjoyed doing this film because Mohit Suri is a very intense director to work with. Jab wo scene sunaate hain, samjhate hain, aur jis tarah se wo narrate karte hain, it’s very intense. He really brings your soul out. He is very talented. I’m so happy for him. Like unki movies hamesha se achha kar rahi hain, but right now, he is flying. In all his films, you will see the same kind of intensity, either in the scenes, in the eyes of the actors, or in the visuals.”
In other words, Shriya recalled that Awarapan was extremely important to Emraan, who always had a strong connection with the film and its story. She also praised Suri’s distinctive approach, saying that his intense narration and direction bring out the emotions and soul of his actors. According to her, that intensity remains visible throughout his work, whether in the performances, scenes, or visuals.
Shriya Saran recalls feeling disheartened by Awarapan’s box-office fate
Despite developing a strong emotional connection with the film, Awarapan did not perform well commercially when it was released. Looking back at its box-office fate, Shriya described the movie as being ahead of its time.
She said, “I think it was ahead of its time. In fact, kayi jagah mai nominate bhi hui thi, but mujhe kahi bulaya bhi nhi gaya tha. Awarapan is a movie which I felt would be celebrated; people would love it. So, something like that happened; you kind of feel very disheartened. I was very disheartened after Awarapan. I thought this was supposed to be loved. And people kept telling me, ‘We love the movie, we love the movie,’ I was like, okay, but why is it not translating into numbers?”
The actress explained that she had expected audiences to embrace the film, making its poor theatrical performance particularly difficult for her. Even though people repeatedly told her how much they loved Awarapan, she struggled to understand why that appreciation was not reflected in its box-office figures.
She further added, “For the longest time, I thought maybe they were the songs they loved, because the songs were amazing and Emraan was amazing, but now I feel that people loved the story; they kind of felt it. It’s a very intense story, so people really felt it. Otherwise, abhi tak jo itna pyaar mil raha hai, it wouldn’t be like that.”
Shriya now believes that the film’s lasting popularity goes beyond its music or Emraan Hashmi’s performance. According to her, audiences genuinely connected with the emotional story, which explains why Awarapan continues to receive immense love years after its release.
More about Awarapan and Awarapan 2
Shriya Saran played Aaliyah Hamid in the 2007 film Awarapan. Her character’s tragic death becomes a major source of guilt for her lover Shivam Pandit, portrayed by Emraan Hashmi, who eventually enters the world of crime and becomes a gangster.
The sequel, Awarapan 2, is scheduled to release in cinemas during the Independence Day weekend. While the original film was a box-office disappointment, the sequel is generating considerable anticipation, with its advance booking reportedly indicating a strong theatrical opening.
