'Music Plus Action': Distributors & Exhibitors React To Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 Success | FPJ Exclusive
His music-actioner has paved the way for fireworks
Emraan Hashmi | Photo: Ashwini Sawant
It isn’t a new formula. Music plus action has invariably proved to be a winning recipe seven out of 10 times. These are early days, but the blockbuster opening of Nitin Kakkar's Awarapan 2 with Emraan Hashmi and Disha Patani in the lead has electrified the audience. When the advances for Awarapan 2 opened, leading Rajasthan distributor, Raj Bansal, said, “Mark my words, this film will be the winner this Independence Day. The formula of music plus action rarely fails.” Bansal also added, “Producers must come back to the real Indian cinema formula of good music, great action and younger-lead pairs. Somehow, this has an unfailing appeal.”
Ironical, but true
Look at the irony. In 2007, Mohit Suri’s Awarapan wrapped up its entire theatrical run with barely ₹12 crore worldwide. Despite the low commercial returns, the film gradually built a faithful viewership through the years through repeat television broadcasts and its mesmerising soundtrack.
Action plus music is the magic formula
“Nineteen years later, Emraan has got the returns plus a bonus,” says producer-distributor-exhibitor, N R Pachisia. “A2 is just two days old, but it looks poised to become a runaway hit,” he adds.
According to Pachisia, when a film has music combined with action, it usually results in good numbers. He points out that this is not a today phenomenon, like the way the trade and social media is making it seem.
Even in the 90s, it was the same
““When I made Ziddi back in 1997 with Sunny Deol and Raveena Tandon, the film became a huge hit because my soundtrack which had Hum Tumse Na Kuchh Keh Paaye, Kale Kale Baal and Mera Dil Le Gayi composed by Dilip Sen and Sameer Sen were chartbusters. Also, with Sunny in it, the action sequences were highlighted. The point I’m making is, whether it is the 90s or the 2020s, the formula is the same. Music, action and a brooding hero usually win,” Pachisia shares.
Brooding heroes have a big draw
Call it a happy coincidence, or should that read (an unhappy one?) because the hero is usually brooding, the formula for success lies in grey shades. Recent examples of the leading man angry, brooding or excessive, in films like Saiyaara (2025), Sanam Teri Kasam (2016) which was remastered and rereleased in 2025, and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat (2025) also got success. STK was a flop when it was first released. And Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, which was made at an average budget of around ₹30-32 cr, went on to earn approximately ₹80.83 cr (nett). With the rerun of STK that earned approximately ₹41 cr (nett) and EDKD, Harshvardhan Rane became a household name.
Saiyaara made a place for itself in film history
With rank newcomer, Ahaan Panday and hardly-seen on screen, Aneet Padda, Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara with one of the best musical albums of recent times, went on to make a place for itself in film annals as the highest Hindi cinema earner. It netted nearly ₹340 cr at the home box office and gave several filmmakers the idea to make their hero brood, sing songs and get into nasty-brawls when his switch blew! Phew!
Will Awarapan 3 be announced shortly?
What others like Ahaan and Harshvardhan have done, Emraan has reimagined and remastered. He has found repeat success in the chartbuster plus action formula on the screen. Premature it may be but the trade is already expecting an announcement of Awarapan 3 from producer Vishesh Bhatt.
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