Mumbai: Emraan Hashmi has completed a notable comeback at the box office with Awarapan 2, which crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in India. The milestone comes
after a period when the actor’s theatrical run had lost momentum following a string of underperformers.
In an exclusive communication with News9 Digital, film trade analyst Taran Adarsh reflected on Hashmi’s career trajectory, his successful phase, the setbacks that followed and the factors that helped keep his popularity alive over the years.
Taran Adarsh on Emraan Hashmi’s comeback
“He was going through a great phase at one point in time. I mean, things were going amazingly well for him. But then his films started flopping left, right, and centre. Shanghai and many other films came out that didn’t work. That became a problem, and things went down completely,” Taran Adarsh said.
He recalled how different the box office landscape was during Hashmi’s peak. “Back then, a Rs 100-crore film wasn’t as common as it is today. But if you look at his peak, the lineup was fantastic and he delivered hits back-to-back. But it went down.”
Now, Adarsh believes the actor’s latest success marks an important return. “Now, it’s good that he is back. He hit Rs 100 crore yesterday, which is a fantastic achievement for him. He’s back with a bang, and I hope he continues to do the kind of films he was known for, massy characters. That is very important.”
“He’s back. People haven’t forgotten him. Today’s generation might not have seen that phase, but he has had a great innings. I think that’s why over time, even Awarapan became a cult classic,” he added.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood cameo also helped
According to Adarsh, Hashmi’s recent visibility has also been aided by his cameo in The Bads of Bollywood*. “The popularity of his cameo in The Bads of Bollywood* also contributed to this. But if you look at his movies, whether on satellite or digital, those films have really worked very well over time. That created a very strong fanbase.”
With Awarapan 2 giving Hashmi a Rs 100-crore success, the trade analyst believes the actor’s popularity has remained intact despite the fluctuations in his theatrical career.
