Shriya Saran recalls Awarapan award snub: ‘They didn’t send me an invite’

Shriya Saran (Pic/IMDB)

Ever since the trailer of Awarapan 2 dropped, it has tickled nostalgia among fans, especially with Emraan Hashmi returning as Shivam Pandit. The sequel follows the 2007 film, which starred Emraan alongside Shriya Saran. Looking back, Shriya recalled how the film's failure at the box office left the team disheartened despite the love it received from audiences.

Shriya Saran on Awarapan failing at the box office

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Shriya reflected on the film's failure. She said, "When the film came out, we all had lots of hopes for it. But I don't know why; I think it was ahead of its time. It was even nominated at some award shows, and they didn't send me an invite. It was like that. And Awarapan is a movie which I felt would be celebrated; people would love it. So when something like that happens, you kind of feel very disheartened."

What made the experience more confusing was that people continued to tell her how much they loved the film, even though that affection did not translate into box-office numbers. "And then people kept telling me, ‘We loved the movie, we loved the movie.' I'm like, ‘Okay, but, like, you know, why is it not translating? Why is it not translating in numbers?'" she recalled.

She also remembered how deeply invested Emraan was in the film. "For Emraan, that film was very important. And he always loved this film, this story."

She initially thought the film's lasting popularity was largely driven by its music and Emraan Hashmi's performance. However, over time, she realised that audiences had connected more deeply with its story and emotional depth.

About Awarapan 2

As the Independence Day weekend approaches, the Indian box office is gearing up for an intense clash between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947. Emraan's film seems to have marched ahead with its advance booking numbers.

The sequel marks the return of Emraan Hashmi in one of his most memorable roles. The film is supported by a strong supporting cast of Shabana Azmi, Disha Patani, and Suvinder Vicky.

The film has obtained a U/A 16+ certificate from the CBFC. The film was cleared after making around nine edits to the language as well as violent scenes.