India, Aug. 13 -- It may come as a surprise to many younger readers who keep hearing only positive things about Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan from older audiences, but when it released in 2007, the film was a box office bomb. The ambitious film from Vishesh Films managed to earn a mere Rs.7.7 crore net in its lifetime. But over the years, as viewers discovered it on home media, cable, and eventually streaming, Awarapan gained a cult following. That belated credibility and love are now helping the sequel, set to release this weekend. Awarapan 2 is tracking to have one of the biggest openings for Bollywood in 2026. In fact, the buzz is so strong that the film is set to cross part 1's lifetime earnings even before release.

The advance bookings f...