Mumbai, Aug. 13 -- Nineteen years ago, Awarapan quietly left theatres as a flop. Now, its sequel could achieve in a single day what the original film could not during its entire theatrical run.

Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 has built strong momentum ahead of its August 14 release, with early trade projections suggesting an opening of around Rs 15 crore net in India. Some forecasts place the film even higher, predicting a day 1 collection between Rs 16 crore and Rs 21 crore.

The comparison becomes even more striking when one looks at the first film's numbers. Released in 2007, Awarapan earned Rs 7.76 crore net in India and approximately Rs 12.18 crore worldwide during its entire theatrical run. Its opening-day collection stood at just Rs 79...