Awarapan 2 has opened strongly at the Indian box office, collecting around Rs. 22 crore nett on its first day. The opening is a major milestone for Emraan Hashmi as it has become the biggest opening for a film led by him as a solo actor. The movie has surpassed the previous record held by Raaz 3, which collected Rs. 11 crore nett on its opening day in 2012.
The film performed particularly well in the Hindi speaking markets. Delhi and Uttar Pradesh recorded some of the strongest numbers, which is usually the case for films that focus on romance and emotional drama. Mumbai also showed a strong response, while West Bengal emerged as another good performing market.
The film had a promising start from the morning shows and initially appeared likely to open around Rs. 20 crore nett. There were some concerns that the limited release could affect its overall numbers. However, the film benefited from strong evening and night shows, with the following day being an Independence Day holiday. The strong night collections eventually pushed the opening day beyond the Rs. 20 crore mark.
The Independence Day holiday is expected to play an important role in the film’s performance. Although the advance bookings for the second day are not significantly higher than the opening day, strong current bookings and walk in audiences could help the film move towards the Rs. 30 crore nett mark.
With its strong opening and controlled production budget, Awarapan 2 has already made a positive start financially. The film is also expected to target at least Rs. 75 crore nett during its opening weekend.
Awarapan 2 is a sequel to the 2007 film Awarapan, which did not perform well when it was originally released but later developed a strong cult following. The success of intense romantic films with popular music in recent years brought renewed attention to Emraan Hashmi, who was closely associated with the genre during the 2000s and early 2010s.
Hashmi was at the peak of his career during that period with films such as Murder 2, Raaz 3, Jannat 2 and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. His career later went through a quieter phase, but the renewed interest in romantic dramas eventually led to Awarapan 2.
The film’s opening is notable because its predecessor was a DISASTER on its original release. A sequel to a film that initially failed becoming a HIT is unusual. Recent re releases of Sanam Teri Kasam and Laila Majnu also showed how older romantic films can find a new audience.
Awarapan 2 now has the opportunity to build on its strong opening and continue its box office success in the coming days.