Mumbai, Aug. 10 -- When Emraan Hashmi returns as Shivam Pandit in Awarapan 2, the nostalgia will obviously be strong. But it is also worth remembering the actor who has emerged in the 19 years since Awarapan, an actor who has consistently proved that there is much more to his craft than the image he started with.

Emraan's evolution has been gradual, but unmistakable. He has gone from playing intense romantic heroes to characters that demand restraint, vulnerability and emotional complexity.

His performance in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai showed that he could hold his own in a gangster drama, while The Dirty Picture proved that he could disappear into a supporting character and still leave a lasting impression. In Shanghai, he went in the...