Awarapan ending explained: Revisiting Emraan Hashmi’s 2007 film before Awarapan 2 arrives

Nearly two decades later, Emraan Hashmi is all set to return as Shivam Pandit with Awarapan 2. Said to be one of the actor's most emotionally layered characters, the sequel promises to revisit the pain, violence and unresolved emotions that made the original a beloved film.

Helmed by Nitin Kakkar, Awarapan 2 features Emraan Hashmi alongside Disha Patani, Shabana Azmi, Suvinder Vicky, Vijayant Kohli, Atul Kumar, Aniruddh Rawal and Puran Gabbi. The trailer, accompanied by the familiar emotional world of the first film, has already created excitement among the viewers. But before the sequel arrives, let's revisit the original story.

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The story of Awarapan

Released in 2007, the first film was directed by Mohit Suri. Awarapan revolved around Shivam Pandit, a gangster who has built his life around violence and survival, but happiness knocks on his door when he meets Aliyah, a devout Muslim woman, and their relationship gradually transforms him.

For someone who has spent most of his life surrounded by crime, Aliyah teaches him love and faith.

However, their relationship ends in tragedy as Aliyah dies, leaving Shivam emotionally shattered.

From that point, he becomes detached from the world around him, carrying the guilt of believing that his actions led to her death.

Years later, Shivam is working for crime boss Bharat Malik in Hong Kong when he receives an assignment involving Reema, Malik’s young Pakistani mistress.

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Malik suspects that Reema is seeing another man and asks Shivam to keep an eye on her. His instructions are straightforward: if Reema is unfaithful, Shivam must report it.

Shivam soon discovers that Reema is indeed in love with another man, and desperately wants to escape the life Malik has forced upon her.

That is where Shivam begins to change, and uniting Reema with her lover becomes his only mission.

What happens to Shivam at the end?

While Shivam successfully saves Reema and Bilal, he is fatally wounded in the gunfight. As he lies dying, Shivam finally appears to make peace with the guilt that has haunted him since Aliyah’s death.

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For the whole movie, he’s been looking for a way out of his past. By sacrificing himself so that Reema and Bilal can have the freedom he could not have with Aliyah, Shivam finally finds his own form of redemption.

Why is Awarapan still remembered?

While the 2007 film did not become a box-office hit, Awarapan gradually built its reputation as one of the most iconic romantic thrillers. The soundtrack also became an important part of that legacy, with songs such as “Tera Mera Rishta” and “Toh Phir Aao”.

Now, Awarapan 2 will continue the story of Shivam, and the trailer appears to bring back his grief and suggests that his past continues to have a powerful hold over him.

Awarapan 2 is slated to arrive in cinemas on August 14.