Why are we going back to sequels?

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 before Awarapan 2 even hit the theatres. Early reactions to the film were mixed, with some fans welcoming Hashmi back to one of his most-loved roles and others feeling it fell short of the original’s emotional pull. Khosla Ka Ghosla 2, meanwhile, has drawn a warmer response so far, its cast reunion clip racking up hundreds of thousands of views within hours. Studios keep making this bet because a returning title arrives with a built-in audience, one that needs less convincing. The real question is what happens to original storytelling as nostalgia keeps winning, and whether these sequels honour what fans already loved.