On paper, Awarapan 2 comes with an unusual challenge. The first film was directed by Mohit Suri, who had a distinct understanding of the dark, emotional and action-driven world that made Awarapan so memorable. The sequel, however, is being helmed by Nitin Kakkar, whose filmography is very different. His last directorial outing was Notebook in 2019, and action thrillers have never really been his space.

Yet, despite that obvious difference, Awarapan 2 has managed to build genuine anticipation. The answer perhaps lies less with the director and more with what Awarapan means to its audience. The 2007 film has grown into an all-time cult classic, and Shivam Pandit remains one of Emraan Hashmi’s most loved characters. Nearly two decades later, the curiosity to see what happened to him is strong enough to overshadow the question of who is directing the sequel.

Then there is Emraan. His return as Shivam is arguably the biggest selling point of Awarapan 2. The trailer has brought back the intensity associated with the character, while the music is further fuelling nostalgia among fans of the original. Of course, Nitin Kakkar has a difficult task ahead. He is stepping into a world that audiences strongly associate with Mohit Suri and must prove that Awarapan can exist beyond its original filmmaker.

But perhaps that is also what makes the sequel interesting. The expectations are high not because of the director’s action credentials, but because the character, the music and the emotional legacy of Awarapan have survived for 19 years. Now, Kakkar has to prove that he can carry that legacy forward without losing what made Shivam special in the first place.