Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time: No.62 - "Awarapan" Is The Climax Of Actor Emraan Hasmi

Human trafficking is a menace, and stories about these problems need to be tackled with grace, respect, and sensibility. Good thing Awarapan is in good hands, as director Mohit Suri and veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt took the helm and created something truly special.

Despite its failure at the box office, Awarapan received critical acclaim and has been hailed as the climax of both actor Emraan Hashmi and Mohit's Bollywood career.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: Sypnosis

Borrowed elements from A Bittersweet Life, a 2005 Korean drama by director Kim Ji-Woon, Awarapan focuses on the story of Shivam (Emraan Hashmi), a heartbroken gangster. Shivam, in his attempt to hide from the memories of his lost lover, devotes himself to serve Bharat Malik (Ashutosh Rana), a businessman who runs a chain of hotels in Hong Kong.

On one faithful day, Shivam received a peculiar request from his boss: to look after Reema (Mrinalini Sharma), a victim of sex trafficking. Malik had 'bought' her in Bangkok to become his mistress.

But now, this ganglord suspects the young woman to be cheating behind his back and ordered Shivam to execute her if that is truly the case. Things don't go exactly as planned since as soon as Shivam laid eyes on the poor girl, he is reminded of his lover. Now, after discovering that Reema has a secret boyfriend, Shivam has to make a decision: fulfill his boss's wish or let the lovebirds roam free.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: Mohit Suri's competence as a storyteller

Although Awarapan was inspired by another story, it is Mohit's own twist on the plot that makes this movie special. Later on in the film, we get to see how Shivam lost the love of his life to her father, and how Shivam's own life laid in shambles after her untimely demise. It's exactly these heart-wrenching moments that set Awarapan apart and prove the storytelling capability of Mohit himself.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: Not suitable for all ages

However, not all is sunshine and happiness in the land of Awarapan. Clearly, its subject matter of human trafficking and the theme of the gangster world mean there is a lot of sequences not fit for all audiences. Awarapan is dark, gory, violent, but it is well worth the time if you're willing to pull through until the end.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: Pritam strikes again

Another excellence worth pointing out is the movie's soundtrack. Indian composer Pritam once again flares his musical talent, as the catchy tunes keep our heart pumping at just the right time, turning the movie into a spectacle of the ears during some set pieces.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: The excellent cast

As we turn our eyes to the cast, no one shines brighter in Awarapan than Shivam and the man behind him: Emraan Hashmi. Emraan delivers a magnificent performance as a man whose life was destroyed by his own sins. The star really went all out to demonstrate he isn't a one-trick pony who only knows how to play the attractive male in movies, but is also an actor with depth.

The supporting cast was also top-notch. Mrinalini Sharma overacts in certain scenes but manages to play her role fairly well generally. The acting of Shriya Saran looks very natural, and despite her brief role (being Shivam's dead girlfriend), she contributed a lot to the movie. Ashutosh Rana is another actor who delivers a superb performance.

Top 100 Bollywood Movies of All Time - Awarapan: Final verdict

Overall, Awarapan offers a solid experience to all sort of audience. And although the movie has been described as a disaster at the box office due to poor ticket sales, it has more to do with publicity rather than its quality.