Emraan Hashmi has delivered the biggest opening of his career with Awarapan 2. The sequel, which released on August 14, 2026, has taken the box office by storm and surpassed the lifetime collection of the 2007 original within just a few hours of its release.
The film marks Hashmi’s return to his iconic role of Shivam Pandit after 19 years. Directed by Nitin Kakkar and produced by Vishesh Bhatt under the Vishesh Films banner, Awarapan 2 also features Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi, and Suvinder Vicky in key roles.
The response from audiences has been overwhelming. Trade analysts are calling this one of the biggest openings for Bollywood in 2026.
Awarapan 2 Crushes the Original Film’s Lifetime Earnings in Just 8 Hours
The numbers tell a remarkable story. The first Awarapan, released in 2007, was a box office failure that earned only ₹7.76 crore during its entire theatrical run.
Awarapan 2 crossed that figure in just eight hours on its release day. By 4 PM on August 14, the film had already earned over ₹8 crore net, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
This makes Awarapan 2 the highest-earning title in the franchise already, and it achieved this milestone before the end of its first day.
Emraan Hashmi Gets His Biggest Career Opening
The sequel has set a new personal record for Emraan Hashmi. Earlier, only two of his films had managed double-digit openings. Raaz 2 opened at ₹10.35 crore in 2012, and Baadshaho earned ₹12.60 crore on its release day in 2017.
Awarapan 2 is expected to leave both these titles behind comfortably. The film has been selling over 20,000 tickets per hour on BookMyShow throughout Friday, which is an remarkable pace for any film without a superstar.
Trade expectations point toward a first-day collection of around ₹20 crore.
Advance Booking Numbers Showed the Film’s Massive Demand
The signs of Awarapan 2‘s success were visible even before the first show began. The film sold an impressive 2.85 lakh tickets in advance bookings.
According to Sacnilk data, Awarapan 2 recorded advance bookings worth ₹8.57 crore without blocked seats. When blocked seats were included, the figure reached ₹11.36 crore.
The film also crossed 1 lakh ticket sales across the three major national multiplex chains—PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. The combined gross from these chains was around ₹4 crore.
Awarapan 2 Dominates the Box Office Clash with Batwara 1947
The Independence Day weekend saw a major box office clash between Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol’s Batwara 1947. The battle turned out to be one-sided.
Awarapan 2 opened with ₹0.46 crore net in early Day 1 collections, while Batwara 1947 managed only ₹0.06 crore net. The advance booking gap was even more significant—Awarapan 2 sold 2.85 lakh tickets compared to Batwara 1947‘s 65,391 tickets.
This is not the first time these two stars have clashed at the box office. In 2007, Awarapan and Apne (starring Sunny Deol) released around the same time, with Apne emerging as the winner. This time, the tables have turned.
What Fans and Critics Are Saying About Awarapan 2
Early reactions on social media have been largely positive. Film critic Taran Adarsh gave Awarapan 2 a four-star rating and called it a “sure-shot success”.
“#EmraanHashmi returns as #ShivamPandit, and what a return it is… He is the SOUL of #Awarapan2… Mass-appealing moments + tremendous nostalgia value… SURE-SHOT SUCCESS.”
Adarsh also praised Disha Patani’s performance, calling it “sincere and emotionally charged,” while noting that Shabana Azmi “deserved more screen time”.
Fans have also shared their excitement on X (formerly Twitter). One viewer wrote, “The first half is packed with intensity, emotion, action and a gripping atmosphere”. Another fan called the film a “proper continuation of a cult classic”.
However, not all reactions were glowing. Some viewers felt the sequel failed to match the depth and impact of the original, with one critic noting that Mohit Suri’s absence as director was “visible in each and every frame”.
About Awarapan 2 and Its Cast
Awarapan 2 brings back Emraan Hashmi as Shivam Pandit, a character that has gained cult status over the years. The film also stars:
- Disha Patani as Zara
- Shabana Azmi as Nafisa
- Suvinder Vicky as Jaideep
- Puran Gabbi as Zorawar
- Aniruddh Rawal as Sikandar
- Vijayant Kohli and Atul Kumar in supporting roles
The film is written by Bilal Siddiqui and produced by Vishesh Bhatt under the Vishesh Films banner. It was shot in Rajasthan and parts of Southeast Asia.
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Awarapan 2 Box Office Performance on Opening Day
Early tracking data shows strong occupancy across major cities. Delhi recorded 40.7 percent occupancy, Patna had 38.6 percent, and Faridabad stood at 39.1 percent. Mumbai recorded 19.1 percent occupancy in the morning shows.
The film registered an overall occupancy of 22.62 percent during the morning shows on Day 1. With the extended Independence Day weekend ahead, evening and night shows are expected to push the numbers even higher.
The film’s average ticket price was reported at around ₹240, suggesting that Awarapan 2 managed to pull audiences across a broad ticket-price range rather than depending only on expensive metropolitan screenings.
Also Read: Shriya Saran Opens Up About Award Show Snub After Awarapan’s Box Office Failure
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