If you're an avid movie lover, chances are you've watched Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan, released in 2007. The musical love story, helmed by Mohit Suri, set a benchmark for the romantic genre in Bollywood.
After that, Bollywood explored several romantic films like Aashiqui and Saaiyara, among others, but the craze for Awarapan remained unmatched. Recently, Emraan Hashmi gave his fans the biggest gift on his birthday by announcing the sequel to his 2007 cult classic.
Now, a new report suggests that Disha Patani has been cast opposite Emraan Hashmi as the female lead. Much like the original, the sequel promises to be an intense love story.
According to a report in Pinkvilla, a source revealed, "Much like Awarapan, the sequel too is an intense love story, set against the backdrop of the gangster world. The spirit of the first part is intact, and the makers are expanding the world into a sequel format with 2x the romance and 2x the emotions. Emraan Hashmi will be playing Shivam Pandit, whereas details of Disha's character have been kept under wraps."
The report further mentioned that Awarapan is remembered for its soulful music, and the sequel will also feature a complete music album, possibly bringing back some old melodies. Filming for Awarapan 2 is expected to begin in late September or early October and wrap up by January. The movie is reportedly slated for a summer 2026 release.
However, as soon as the news of Disha Patani playing Emraan Hashmi's love interest went viral, netizens expressed their disappointment.
Many criticised the makers' choice, claiming Disha is known more for glamour than for acting. One user commented, "No way, bad casting."
A user wrote, "No way, bad casting.."
Awarapan 2 announcement
Taking to his social media on his birthday, Emraan had announced the sequel to his 2007 film. The clip featured Emraan's iconic character setting a bird free from the cage, while he narrates, "Kisi aur ki zindagi ke liye marna hi meri manzil hai (To die for someone else's life is my destiny)." "Awarapan 2, The journey continues," reads the text at the end of the teaser.
The song Tera Mera Rishta from the film played in the background. The actor shared the teaser and announced that the sequel will release in theatres in 2026. "Bas mujhe kuch aur der zinda rakh... #Awarapan2 in cinemas, 3rd April 2026. #Awarapan2," read the caption.
