Rating ⭐⭐⭐½/  - The 2nd Review: After 19 years, Shivam Pandit's pain, love and longing return

When 'Awarapan' came on screen 19 years ago, perhaps no one thought that Shivam Pandit's pain, his silence and unfulfilled love would become a part of the memories of an entire generation in the years to come. That era of 2007, Emraan Hashmi's sad face and songs like 'Toh Phir Aao' are still fresh in the minds of the audience who have lived that era.

Now after a long wait, 'Awarapan 2' returns to the same emotional world. The question is not only how this film is, but also whether the magic of Shivam Pandit after 19 years has the same effect as before? The answer is - yes, to a large extent.

The story: When Shivam found the purpose of life again

The story of the film moves forward from the same broken world of Shivam Pandit. After losing his love Alia, Shivam has distanced himself from the world of crime. His life is now reduced to silence, loneliness and nostalgia.

But fate brings him once again to a juncture, where an innocent child comes in front of him. Shivam takes the girl to an orphanage and names her Aaliya in memory of his old love.

Shivam tries to stay away from her, but when the family that adopted the child hands her over to an international human trafficking gang, the old warrior in Shivam wakes up again.

Now this is not just a story of saving a child. This is the story of a man who lost his love once and is now not ready to lose his' Alia 'for the second time.

From here, the film moves from an emotional drama to a gruesome crime-action thriller and Shivam's journey reaches Bangkok.

Emraan Hashmi The life and greatest attraction of the film

If 'Awarapan 2' stands on the strength of one face, it is Emraan Hashmi.

The character of Shivam Pandit is so intertwined with his personality that as soon as his face appears on the screen, the audience starts reading his emotions before the story.

Enlarged beard, long hair, sad eyes, less dialogue and accumulated pain on the face - Emraan has not just played Shivam, but lived him again.

His biggest quality is that at many places he takes the whole scene without speaking the dialogue. There is anger in his silence, there is pain and there is also the tease of incomplete love, which makes the character completely different from the ordinary action hero.

Watching 'Awarapan 2', one can clearly feel why the character of Shivam Pandit is counted among the most memorable characters of Emraan Hashmi's career.

Disha Patani shocked by Villain

Disha Patani plays the role of Zara in the film. Initially, it seems that his role will be limited, but as the story progresses, he gets enough space. In some places, the dialogue delivery could have been a little more effective, but his character gives an emotional balance to the story.

At the same time, Puran Gabbi brings out a different kind of villain in the form of Zoravar. His character is eccentric, unstable and unpredictable. His body language and strange behaviour create discomfort in the atmosphere of the film.

However, his character looks more 'psycho' and quirky than an extremely scary mastermind. Despite this, it is his great achievement to make his presence in front of an actor like Emraan Hashmi.

Shabana Azmi as Nafisa leaves an impact despite her short screen time. At the same time, Suvinder Vicky adds seriousness and depth to the story with his layered acting.

Real Surprise - Nostalgia

The biggest strength of the film is its nostalgia.

When Emraan Hashmi enters the screen and the tune of 'Toh Phir Aao' is heard in the background, it doesn't remain just a song. It feels like going back to 2007.

That's the film's biggest strength. The makers have not just showcased the memories of the old film, but have also connected them with the emotional need of the story.

The new versions of 'Toh Phir Aao' and 'Tera Mera Rishta Purana' deepen the impact of the story in many emotional scenes.

The new tracks' Yeh Awarapan ',' Ve Junoon 'and' Piya Ghar Aaya 'also sit well with the mood of the film.

Music is not just entertainment... It becomes the voice of Shivam's emotions.

There is emotion in action.

The action of 'Awarapan 2' is not limited to bullets, fights and revenge.

When Shivam fights, there is an emotional reason behind it. Every fight brings out the pain in him.

That's why many action sequences in the film not only thrill the audience, but also make Shivam feel uneasy.

The dark visual tone of the film, the world of crime and the location of Bangkok together give a different cinematic atmosphere to the story.

Directions: The old spirit, the new story

Nitin Kakkar has taken the biggest risk by not making the film just a copy of the first 'Awarapan'.

He knows that the audience has not just come to watch old songs and Emraan Hashmi. They also want the next chapter of Shivam's story.

So a new story with old memories has been kept in the film. That's why this sequel does not seem to stand completely by the past.

However, at some places, the pace of the screenplay weakens and the story feels a bit stretched after the interval.

The biggest highlight of the film

Emraan Hashmi's performance is the main highlight of the film. Along with this, the brilliant use of old songs, dark atmosphere, emotional action and strong supporting cast make the story effective.

The most important thing is that the film does not get confused about its genre. It tries to blend romance, pain, crime, action and nostalgia - all in one world.

Where is the weak point of 'Awarapan 2'?

The biggest weakness of the film is also somewhere related to its first film.

For a viewer who hasn't seen 2007's Awarapan, Shivam's emotional journey may not be as impactful.

Also, as the human trafficking track progresses, many of the story's twists and turns become predictable. The pace of the film also slows down in some parts after the interval.

Even the villain's character could not create as much fear as he did.

Final Verdict: Shivam Pandita is not finished yet.

'Awarapan 2 'is not a perfect film, but it is an honest sequel.

This film is most special for the audience who saw Shivam Pandit for the first time in 2007 and felt his pain within themselves.

After 19 years, Emraan Hashmi returns to the same character - with the same silence, the same pain and the same shadow of unfulfilled love. The only difference is that this time Shivam has not only his love to lose, but also an innocent life to save.

Despite some weakly scripted portions and predictable twists, the film wins hearts in its emotional quotient.

And when the tune of 'Toh Phir Aao' resonates in the theatre, Emraan Hashmi's face comes on the screen and Shivam Pandit returns to his world again, one thing becomes clear -

Some characters don't age with time, they just go deeper into the memories.

'Awarapan 2 'is the painful, bloody and emotional return of one of those characters - Shivam Pandit.

The final score: 3.5/5