Awarapan 2 writer Bilal Siddiqui wanted a fresh story for Shivam Pandit; says, “We didn’t want to just patch on any story to the title”
Writer Bilal Siddiqui has opened up about the pressure of continuing a beloved story with Awarapan 2, saying the team was determined not to force a plot onto the title just to cash in on nostalgia.
A fan first, writer second
Siddiqui, who counts himself among the admirers of the 2007 original, said, “I am a big fan of the first part and this is a dream come true. I had seen it in school and was really fascinated by it, Emraan’s performance, the storytelling and the songs.”
He added that tracks such as ‘Toh Phir Aao’ and ‘Tera Mera Rishta’ remain part of his regular listening, and that the film’s emotional hold on audiences shaped how he approached the sequel. “I know the weight that this film holds emotionally for the fans and the factors that have made it a cult classic,” he said.
Finding a fresh vehicle for old themes
According to Siddiqui, producer Vishesh Bhatt wanted the sequel to retain the angst, redemption, action, love and devotion that defined the first film, but within a new narrative. “These things that made Awarapan resonate with the audiences would have to come back and we needed a fresh vehicle for these themes to exist in,” he said.
He said the focus was on what could happen next to Emraan Hashmi’s Shivam Pandit rather than attaching a new plot to a familiar title. “Vishesh was clear that he wanted to take Shivam ahead as a character, since he is what makes Awarapan work,” he said, adding that he, Vishesh, Hashmi and director Nitin Kakkar spent months discussing possibilities before settling on the sequel’s story.
Shivam’s unfinished journey
“We didn’t want to just patch on any story to the title and call it ‘Awarapan 2’. The story we landed eventually upon is a very organic way to carry his story forward,” Siddiqui said. He explained that Shivam’s arc was never truly resolved. “There is a very interesting, complex character that part one had handed us in Shivam Pandit. Life isn’t done with him and despite being reclusive and burdened, he still has one more fight left in him,” he said.
Siddiqui said the sequel pushes Shivam beyond the emotional and external battles he faced in the first film, while staying true to what made the original endure, as per Variety India.
Also Read: “I’ve passed on the baton”: Mohit Suri shares emotional note on Awarapan 2
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