From being Bollywood’s “serial kisser” to a box-office draw, Emraan Hashmi’s journey has been full of highs, lows, and now, hopes of a big resurgence.
The actor made his debut with Footpath in 2003. Though it was a supporting role, he managed to grab eyeballs and walk away with all the attention. A year later, Murder (2004) changed everything for him. The erotic musical thriller not only became a massive hit but also turned Emraan into a household name overnight.
After that, Emraan delivered several films that became memorable for his intense screen presence. His box-office graph saw a major jump with Murder 2 in 2011, which opened at Rs. 7.10 crores. The same year, The Dirty Picture took a bigger start at Rs. 9.54 crores. In 2012, Raaz 3 raised the bar further with a Rs. 10.47 crore opening on day one.
However, post that phase, his solo track record saw a dip. Amidst that, he did appear in the multi-starrer Baadshaho (2017), which opened at Rs. 12.60 crores. To date, that remains his biggest opener.
Now, trade circles are betting that his upcoming film Awarapan 2 could finally break that record and give him his biggest day-1 collection ever.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh welcomed Emraan’s comeback. “It’s good to see Emraan back in action. There was a time when he was on an incredible run. Then there was a sudden slump. But now we’re seeing those days return when his films used to get a strong opening. And it looks like it’s happening again with Awarapan 2,” he said.
When asked if Awarapan 2 can surpass Baadshaho despite competition, Adarsh added, “Yes, there’s a real possibility. And that’s despite going up against Batwara 1947, which has big names like Sunny Deol, Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Santoshi attached. If Awarapan 2 manages to beat it, that will be a huge feat.”
Exhibitor Vishek Chauhan, who runs Roopbani Cinema in Purnia, Bihar, pointed out the youth buzz around the film. “There’s tremendous demand for Awarapan 2 among young audiences. They’ve heard stories about Emraan Hashmi’s earlier mass appeal, but they haven’t seen that version of him on the big screen. They want to experience him in that avatar, and Awarapan 2 fits perfectly.”
Distributor Raj Bansal also shared his take. “Emraan is a very decent actor. But he made some wrong film choices. Honestly, I feel bad for two actors – Emraan Hashmi and Shahid Kapoor. Both are very talented, but a few bad decisions affected their box-office run.”
Bansal further stressed the importance of script and music. “A good story and good songs can still make a film a super-hit. Look at Saiyaara this year. Main Vaapas Aaunga is another example. It started slow but picked up massively later. Unfortunately, filmmakers today don’t give enough weight to script and music.”
Veteran trade expert Atul Mohan believes Emraan is returning to the zone that made him a star. “When audiences love an actor in a particular image, it makes sense to stick to that space. Emraan reached a different level with the kind of films he did earlier. Then he shifted to arty cinema. But he always had a loyal fan base, and that base is still there. People still love him and expect that old Emraan. So doing a film like Awarapan 2 is absolutely the right move.”
With buzz building and trade predictions in his favor, all eyes are now on whether Awarapan 2 can give Emraan Hashmi the comeback opening he’s been waiting for.
