Human trafficking is a menace that most nations are today trying to do away with. Emraan Hashmi-starrer Awarapan is an attempt to portray this scourge. The serious bit of the review ends here.  

Awarapan starts in an exotic night club of Hong Kong and goes on to a port where a delivery of people is to be offloaded. This is where Reema (Mrinalini Sharma [Images]) is introduced. When she realises the light of the day, off she runs to save herself.

A predictable camera chase later, she is recaptured only to blare "Give me my freedom. Leave me alone." That is the premise of the movie (in case you missed it).

Cut two, and we have Shivam (Emraan Hashmi [Images]), Gangster Malik's (Ashutosh Rana) most trust-worthy man. Mesmerized by Reema, Malik asks Shivam to find if she has a man in her life. Loyalist Shivam keeps a watch on Reema.

Then follow song sequences that make you yearn for an urgent nip tuck� be it Mrinalini for her bad dancing skills and woody movements or Pritam whose excessive electronica makes you reach for your ear muffs.

A flashback here reveals Shivam's past. While escaping the clutches of the police, bandit Shivam bumps into Aliya (Shreya Saran). Looking as pretty as ever, she tries to coax him to buy a pigeon she is selling and release it, as a karmic cleanser. Unperturbed he continues his run, not before realising that he has fallen for her.

Their meetings continue, with Aliya making all attempts to induce some faith in Imran. Then bad luck has a lucky day and the couple is caught by Aliya's father, who tries to knock some sense into Aliya. Shivam professes his love for her and hands over the gun to her father. In the bid to shoot Shivam, her father shoots Aliya. Flashback's over.

Back to present, Shivam continues to keep a watch on Reema, and happens to stumble upon Bilal, her love interest. When this news reaches Malik, he orders the assignation of Reema. Another flash back and the loyalist Shivam seems to get jelly feet with the very thought of killing Reema. Yet he barges into their home and fires six bullets, which even at close range missed the couple. Divine interventions, he concludes.

What follows is predictable. An unhappy villain, a lot of dishum dishum and gunfire et al.  

And so as to leave no stone unturned, the director eve assures that the villain's entire family is wiped off. In what seems to be a rather cheesy end, the viewer is reminded (finally!) of the premise of the movie -- "Give me my freedom. Leave me alone."

Mrinalini could sure do with some better facial expressions. As for Emraan, he desparately needs a better stylist and Shreya a new makeup man. Talent Ashutosh is wasted and so is Shreya.

Rediff Rating: