Oh Man! Why are you wandering in the darkness in your loneliness? How you become so brutal? How you could kill people without any mistake? What made you to be so? Is there nobody to give you some love? Where did you stop looking at the beauty of nature and human beings? Hai Man, stop…take a moment…look at those beautiful eyes…can’t you see innocent love there? Didn’t you hear her sweet voice as if it is directly arrived from heaven? If you set free a slave you will get the return in ten folds. Give a thought…a small thought…which may change your life…do something…which may save the life of the poor human being…why you want to go back to the dark loneliness again?
Shivam (Emran Hashmi) is one of many who are with gangsters. He does not believe in god or love, as wherever he searched he got loneliness only, except to a close friend (Shaad Randhawa). On one fine day, Shivam meet a beautiful girl (Shreya Saran) who offered her a dove which she advised him to set free as he will get its return in heaven. He was not impressed, but fall in love with her and her words made him to change his views for a while and he started to change. However, being a godless person and a known criminal who have been in Jail for two times, her father was not ready to give her hand to Shivam. The love story ended in a tragedy and Shivam becomes more lonely and deadly. He changed his base to Hong Kong, where he is the loyal assistant of Malik (Ashutosh Rana), who owns a chain of hotels. Shivam prove to be more faithful to Malik than his own son (Salil Acharya). There is enmity between Salil & Emran regarding this. Malik bought a girl from Pakistan, Reema (Mrinalini Sharma) and keep her as her own with all the luxurious facilities. However, Malik doubts that somebody else have entered in her life and assigned Shivam to watch her to find it out. Reema was infact in love with a boy from Pakistan. The story move forward where Mohit Suri gives some thought and more action.
Awarapan is an attempt to see how a wanderer’s mind can be bought back to strike a code with love. . Like a small bit of salt make an entire pot of food tasty, a pinch of love change many a things. True. Now, whether the director succeeded in passing the same impression with the movie? I will say a part yes. The first half of the film was not that impressive, except Shreya’s wonderful screen presence, but the second half compensated to an extent. I would be not doing justice by simply saying it compensated, but I wish the first half could also be that gripping. The second half really salvaged the movie though it could have been better.
When the movie concentrates mostly on characters and their feelings, one point the director should have cared is development of characters. The characters were ready made (as if they are purchased from the Bollywood charactershop) and no effort from the writer or director was there to establish an emotional bond with the viewers. For example, if they bothered to narrate how the Emran-Shaad relation was started, it would reach to the viewers, when it comes to betrayal. Also it would have been good if we have been told how the Emran-Ashutosh relation becomes so bonding. There are some thoughtful moments presented, but the director failed to cash on it. The beginning scene of human trafficking for prostitution, were not absorbed to take the maximum advantage. A scene where Reema was supposed to be raped by thousands one by one…should have presented with little more impact and seriousness…. That way, the director didn’t reach to expectation. Situations were there to accept them
Emraan Hashmi gives a fine performance this time, the best of I have seen him. The plot was not that supportive, but he established his role well. Sure, for the beginning there had some reservation to consider him as an action hero, but once that is set, then things were easy. Shreya looks fresh and added a pleasant screen presence for otherwise dark movie. Mrinalini sharma, who got the meatier role didn’t reach up to the requirement of the role, which would have better suited for Bipasha Basu. Ashutosh Rana was his usual self, where Shaad & Salil were impressive. Rest of the squad did their role pretty well.
Music is one department where the movie impressed. The tunes were good and the presentation was excellent. It really helped and leaves an emotion back in our mind. Choreography was well supported by camera and is impressive.
A Mahesh Bhatt movie cannot be of less technical qualities and for that matter cinematography for the film is excellent.
If you ask me, what is the message the film try to give out, it is "freedom". It is our right. How far the message is passed is to be seen. Mood of the film suggest for charity or sacrifice for the freedom, than to fight for it. It is not the slaves who are fighting.
Overall, the movie gives a typical Mahesh Bhatt movie feeling, dark, Sharp, betrayal (but no skin show), vengeance etc. Some care in the script could have made a difference. Otherwise the movie holds your interest in part of first half and throughout the second half. Ok for a watch.