Emraan Hashmi is set to reprise his much-loved role as Shivam Pandit in Awarapan 2, nearly two decades after the original film. Directed by Nitin Kakkar and produced by Vishesh Bhatt under the banner of Vishesh Films, the sequel is scheduled to hit theatres on August 14, 2026, during the Independence Day weekend. Apart from Emraan, the film also stars Disha Patani and Shabana Azmi, who takes on a negative role in the film.

The release is particularly interesting for the veteran actress as she will have two films hitting theatres on the same day. Azmi also stars in Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta’s Batwara 1947, which is scheduled for an August 14 release alongside Awarapan 2. While the two films see her in vastly different roles, it sets up an unusual box-office clash for the veteran actress.

Amid the growing buzz around Awarapan 2 ahead of its theatrical release, details about the cast’s reported remuneration have also surfaced. According to News24, Emraan Hashmi is the highest-paid actor in the sequel, with a reported fee of Rs 12 crore for reprising his iconic role as Shivam Pandit. The report further claims that his remuneration is around 10 times what he was paid for the 2007 original.

Disha Patani, meanwhile, is reportedly being paid Rs 5 crore for the sequel. Shabana Azmi, who plays a pivotal role in the film, is said to have commanded a fee in the range of Rs 2 crore to Rs 5 crore.

Meanwhile, during an Instagram Live session recently, Emraan opened up about the release strategy for the Awarapan franchise. The actor explained that the original film will return to theatres only after Awarapan 2 has been released, giving audiences a chance to revisit the first instalment following the sequel’s theatrical run. He said, “There’s an entire generation, especially Gen Z, that hasn’t watched Awarapan. After seeing Awarapan 2, they’ll be curious to go back and watch the original. They’ll get to see Shivam’s origin story after watching the sequel.”

While Awarapan was directed by Mohit Suri, the sequel has been helmed by Nitin Kakkar. Bilal Siddiqui has penned the story for Awarapan 2, with composers Amaal Mallik and Mithoon contributing to the film’s music.