Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- tragic
- romantic
- bollywood movie night
- emotional action night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film engaging and stylish, praising Emraan Hashmi, music, direction, dialogue, and action presentation while criticizing its slow pacing, excessive violence, and underdeveloped emotional and human-trafficking themes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Shivam begins as Bharat Malik’s hit-man and gradually turns against criminal exploitation after losing Aaliyah and recognizing Reema’s captivity.
Shivam, an atheist-linked gangster, falls in love with devout Muslim woman Aaliyah, whose father rejects the relationship because of Shivam’s criminal past.
Aaliyah’s practice of selling birds so buyers can free them becomes the image through which Shivam understands Reema’s confinement.
After Aaliyah’s death, Shivam continues working for Bharat in Hong Kong, where the city’s skyline frames the criminal plot and its climactic confrontation.
Films like Awarapan, and why
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
Hindi crime melodrama centered on a violent gangster seeking redemption through love and moral transformation
Gangster
romantic crime drama combining underworld violence, doomed love, atmospheric locations, and a morally conflicted protagonist
Jannat
Bollywood action melodrama about criminal loyalty, betrayal, sacrifice, and an emotionally intense redemption arc
Kaminey
stylized gangster drama pairing kinetic action with tragic romance and conflicted male heroism
Movie Details
- Director
- Mohit Suri
- Release Date
- 2007-06-29
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (54)
Cast
- Emraan Hashmi
- Shriya Saran
- Mrinalini Sharma
- Salil Acharya
- Purab Kohli
- Ashish Vidhyarthi
- Ashutosh Rana
- Rehan Khan
- Atul Parchure
- Shaad Randhawa
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Awarapan about?
- A violent gangster’s grief-stricken return to conscience leads him from ruthless obedience toward a final act of defiance.
- What is Awarapan like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Awarapan as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Awarapan violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Awarapan as graphic.
- What did critics think of Awarapan?
- Critics broadly found the film engaging and stylish, praising Emraan Hashmi, music, direction, dialogue, and action presentation while criticizing its slow pacing, excessive violence, and underdeveloped emotional and human-trafficking themes.
- Which films are like Awarapan?
- Films with a similar feel include Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Gangster, Jannat, and Kaminey.
- How long is Awarapan?
- Awarapan runs 124 minutes.
- Where can I watch Awarapan?
- In United States, Awarapan streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
