EXCLUSIVE: Saiyaara actor Shaad Randhawa looks back at Awarapan: “If it RE-RELEASES, I’ll be quite happy…we were all EXTREMELY disappointed when it did not do well at box office. Everyone in the team, including Mohit Suri, knew that it was a very good film”
Mohit Suri is on a high right now as his latest release Saiyaara has become a surprise blockbuster. As expected, the spotlight is now also on past classics of the director. One film that has always stood out in his filmography is Awarapan (2007). The mere mention of the film brings a smile to the faces of everyone involved. Shaad Randhawa, who has become a social media sensation after his appearance in Saiyaara, is no exception. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, he confessed that he continues to get love for that film, “It’s been 18 years since that film was released. Yet, some people still come up to me and ask me to mouth the ‘Tu kahein toh tere liye jaan de du’ dialogue (smiles).”
A few months ago, there were reports that Awarapan would re-release and it led to a lot of excitement. After all, the classic film was sadly a flop at the box office. Many regretted missing it, while a section of the moviegoing audience was too young then. As a result, many have demanded that it should be brought back on the big screen, more so because Awarapan 2 is all set to be out next year, on April 3, 2026.
When asked if he was aware of the re-release plans, Shaad Randhawa said, “I won’t be in the position to comment on that. I don’t know. But I do know that there’s a lot of chatter and a lot of chatter and buzz around Awarapan 2. I am so sure Emraan Hashmi, Vishesh Films and director Nitin Kakkar will work very hard and ensure that it turns out to be a great film.”
But Shaad Randhawa admitted that if Awarapan does re-release, it’ll satisfy the fans and also the actor in him, “Of course, I’ll be quite happy (with the re-release), as an actor, if people get to see me again on the big screen. That’s what an actor wants – you want as many people to see your work. That’s more important to an actor than the box office. More collections at the box office mean more people have gone to the cinema to see your film. The fans will get to see me again, experience the nostalgia, and maybe realize, ‘This guy is not bad, ya’ (smiles)!”
It pains a lot of people to know that a film like Awarapan, which has zero haters, didn’t work at the box office. Shaad Randhawa agreed, “Yes, Awarapan is a film which has been universally loved. We were all extremely disappointed when the film did not do well at the box office. Everyone in the team, including Mohit, knew that it was a very good film. But good work eventually finds its way, maybe not at that time. The same happened with me. Somewhere people realized that, ‘This man has been a part of these successful films, maybe very quietly and silently’. I’ll continue to work the way I do.”
Besides Shaad Randhawa and Emraan Hashmi, Awarapan also starred Shriya Saran, Mrinalini Sharma, Rehan Khan, Ashish Vidyarthi, Salil Acharya, Purab Kohli and others. The film became a rage thanks to its subject, performances, intense moments and of course, the unforgettable soundtrack.
The post EXCLUSIVE: Saiyaara actor Shaad Randhawa looks back at Awarapan: “If it RE-RELEASES, I’ll be quite happy…we were all EXTREMELY disappointed when it did not do well at box office. Everyone in the team, including Mohit Suri, knew that it was a very good film” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.