Awarapan 2 should do it for Emraan Hashmi: Mohit Suri

Mohit Suri has delivered hits right from his first film Zeher, he then went on to make big films like Murder 2, Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain and Malang. Of his 14 films he made more than half of them with Emraan Hashmi. The duo were the strongest pillars of the production house established by Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt. While Mohit is gearing up for his big film Saiyaara with newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, during his conversation with ETimes he opened up about his longtime collaborator Emraan Hashmi. He hasn’t had a very smooth ride at the box office over the past decade; Suri believes that the actor is just one hit away from reclaiming his spot at the top.

“I think he’s just one hit away,” Mohit said. Despite becoming an iconic figure with his bold roles in the early 2000s, Emraan's journey has been a rocky one, with some films failing to live up to expectations.

Yet, Suri remains steadfast in his belief that the actor has what it takes to make a strong comeback. “Who doesn’t have ups and downs here?” he added, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of Bollywood, where even the brightest stars sometimes fade into the background before being given a chance to shine again.For Suri, Awarapan 2 — a sequel to the critically acclaimed 2007 film Awarapan — could be the film to reignite Emraan’s career.

“I think Awarapan should do that for him,” Suri said, referring to the potential impact of the sequel. The original Awarapan saw Emraan in a role far removed from his usual image. The film was an emotional journey about love, loss, and redemption, and it gave the actor a chance to explore depth and vulnerability, which was a departure from his typical on-screen persona.“What makes Awarapan so special is that if I was emotionally invested in it, he equally did,” Mohit stated.

"Whatever he and Vishesh are doing with the film, I think will be spectacular. I’m sure they have the vision to make it work" he continued. But, of course, with so much at stake, I couldn’t help but ask Mohit if he had ever been offered the opportunity to direct Awarapan 2. His response, though understated, revealed a sense of longing. “I wasn’t offered it,” he said with a shrug. “I was busy with Saiyaara.” Awarpan 2 is now being directed by Nitin Kakkar and is expected to hit cinema halls in 2026.