India, Aug. 16 -- This year's release calendar reveals a clear pattern: nearly half the titles carry a number after them. Border 2, Cocktail 2, Dhamaal 4, Awarapan 2 opened in theatres this week, and Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 follows later this month, two films built entirely on nostalgia.

Emraan Hashmi returned as Shivam nearly two decades after the original Awarapan became a cult favourite, while Anupam Kher and the returning cast of Khosla Ka Ghosla are set to step back into a story that grew into a classic long after its first release. Neither of these movies is really trying to win over a new crowd. Honestly, they are just counting on the original fans showing up at the ticket counters. People were already debating this gamble online long ...