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Emraan Hashmi might have emerged as one of Bollywood’s hottest stars, but it hasn’t been long since actresses like Bipasha and Ameesha Patel refused to work with him. And Emraan has no qualms about admitting it. And he revealed one such little secret in a popular show. He said that Ameesha found him expressionless and stiff during the photo shoot of a film entitled Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar. She conveyed her reservations about Emraan to Mahesh Bhatt. Mahesh Bhatt promptly told him that he wasn’t actor material and that if he wanted to get anywhere he would have to work very hard. Emraan was disheartened by this, but he believes that the experience has made him stronger. And that’s how a kisser-boy was born!

“I’ve redefined the Emraan Hashmi brand because I was getting very repetitive with both my look and roles,” says Emraan Hashmi in between the many interviews he’s been giving in recent weeks. Emraan considers his latest film a milestone in his career. “I can safely say the role is very different because, for the first time, my wife, Bhatt saab and everyone who watched the film were moved to tears at the end of it! I’ve also made a drastic transformation in terms of my looks - I’m not the innocent lover boy anymore - I’m a rugged gangster with long hair and a daadi. And I’ve never dared to do that before,” he says. And do his fans like it? “Totally, because the prerelease feedback itself has been overwhelming and my wife said I look really cool,” he laughs. Emraan admits he finds good guy roles very boring. “I like dark characters because they’re full of mystery and depth. My latest role has all this and is larger than life,” he says. The other change he’s made is that he’s not kissing like in the past. “Thankfully, not all those films in which I kissed did well. I don’t understand why, in Bollywood, you have to repeat something like that in every film. Just because an actor does something in some of his films, it doesn’t mean he has to do it all the time! All I can say is, you will not miss the kiss,” says Emraan.

He narrates the instance of an elderly couple telling him that all his films were A-rated and that they were apprehensive of watching them with the family. “I was very disturbed and have since then decided to move away from erotic thrillers,” he says.

He’s also been doing a lot of films with the Bhatts - is that a conscious decision? “I have done seven films with the Bhatts and I’m comfortable with them because they’re family. I don’t care what others think about it because I do films I believe in. I’ve done films with others too, but most of my successes have been with the Bhatt camp. We’re a team and it helps me in my career. I will be doing at least two films with the Bhatts every year,” says the actor.

And even when the biggest of stars are doing only multi-starrers, Emraan’s doing only solo films. What gives him that? “I find solo films are more risky and I love the challenge of that gamble. I’m glad I’ve been successful so far.” The actor has now been signed to play the lead in the sequel of the hit film Raaz, and Jannat, based on the Woolmer murder.

And, by the way, how come he’s never had coffee with Karan - isn’t it considered a sign of having arrived in Bollywood? “That’s because I believe in myself. I don’t need a coffee show as a platform to decide that. Besides, I’ve no desperation to be there,” says Emraan Hashmi.

He’s tired of doing remakes, so Emraan has now decided that he will only be doing original films from now on. Yes, he is open to remakes, but they have to be better packaged and not be scene-to-scene remakes. While the recent The Train was a remake of Derailed, the earlier Killer was a remake of Co-lateral. “Since most Hindi films are remakes of one kind or another, there is no point in swearing off remakes,” says a source close to the actor, “But Emraan doesn’t want to do copies of films that have been made earlier. He will now insist on doing a film creatively, especially since he wants to move on to the next level in his career.” Well, now that’s a thought. Let’s hope filmmakers think along those lines too!

Emraan Hashmi, Bollywood’s notorious serial kisser, has defied his image in the forthcoming Mahesh Bhatt-presented magnum opus, Awarapan. He does not have any kissing scene with his leading ladies, Shriya Saran and Mrinalini Sharma. In all his interviews, when quizzed, Emraan had maintained the ‘Wait and watch’ stance, but director Mohit Suri (Zeher, Kalyug, Woh Lamhe) spilled the beans. “Emi (Emraan) will not be smooching in Awarapan. The script and subject matter didn’t require him to kiss. The audience will be surprised when they watch the film - there’s a completely different Emraan,” reveals his cousin Mohit Suri. So finally the serial kisser boy has put a brake to his kisses!

When serial kisser Emraan Hashmi was shooting in Bangkok for Awarapan, a middle-aged Muslim couple dropped in on the sets and began scolding him for leading the young generation astray with his portrayal of a casanova in most of his films. They claimed that their two sons were Emraan’s die-hard fans and were copying his behaviour, including the kissing bit. Emraan was disturbed about the incident and his director and cousin Mohit Suri says that he has never seen Emraan look so disturbed. It seems he is growing up and has realised the impact of his on-screen behaviour on his young fans. Will the actor ‘mend his ways’? Let’s wait and watch, shall we?

‘Murder’, ‘Gangster’, ‘The Killer’…Emraan, you seem to be specialising in criminal titles…
Yes, and I think I should get an award for acting in films with English titles and that too criminal ones. But ‘The Killer’ is a pretty apt title for the film. I guess when you have a series of certain kind of films, when one does well, the idea is to take the same ingredients and make another movie.

So did the smooch king miss kissing in this film?
There might be one in the film. I am not disclosing. You have to watch the film to know it.

Would you kill for anything?
Emraan: No, for nothing. On second thoughts, maybe for love, I would.
Irrfan: I would kill for justice. Killing is, however, never a solution unless and until it is mercy killing. Killing doesn’t solve any problem, it only multiplies the problem.

Do you have the killer instinct in you?
Emraan: I guess so. I don’t overtly say it, but I do. Before I got into this profession, I knew I had to make a mark. You need to be passionate to make it. Just luck won’t do.
Irrfan: I agree.

Is playing grey characters more challenging than doing a typical romantic role?
Emraan: Playing goody- two-shoes roles is a very clichéd thing to do. There is something about a dark character that draws me towards it. I think somewhere down the line, the role of a hero has changed a lot; he can now play a grey character, but he can still get away with the sympathy of the audience. There is a very thin line between what’s right and what’s not. I think the audience kind of connects to such characters and realises that being bad is not such a bad thing.
Irrfan: For me, doing a romantic song and dance routine would be challenging. That is something which wouldn’t come too easy to me. I love playing grey characters. I hate playing a villain; it is stressful as you have to touch those elements within you and bring them out. I can’t act with detachment. Fortunately, today different kinds of films are being made. It is a very exciting time for actors like us.

Do you think two actors can be good friends?
Emraan: I really don’t understand why not. Even though I don’t have any close friends in the industry, I am sure a lot of them have. Everyone can survive here; you don’t have to cut each other’s throat to survive.
Irrfan: People with a little larger heart definitely can. I can feel such vibes from people like Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan. When two people respect a film that they are doing in totality rather than being worried about their own role, it is possible to live in harmony.

It sure must be hard being a celebrity. If it’s not for the constant fan following and jet lag to deal with, it is the constant phone calls that they’re bombarded with. After all, that’s the case when you’re so in demand! Emraan Hashmi on the other hand, loves every bit of it. “I attend to all my phone calls. Even if I am out for dinner with my girlfriend, I’ll take the call.” However, here’s the deal. “I have to make sure the call is short and sweet, or I’ve had it from my girl,” says the self-confessed phone junkie.

Commitment, marriage, stability are words that don’t really fit the ’serial kisser’ image that actor Emraan Hashmi has. But the man who has a casanova image on screen has actually been in a serious relationship with longtime girlfriend Parveen Shahani for nearly four-and-a-halfyears and will be tying the knot in December. “I wouldn’t say I am the most righteous person out there,” he says. “I have made mistakes. I have been a bad boy but now I am not a player anymore.” So is it love that has changed him? “I guess when you find the right person life changes and marriage is like taking the relationship to the next level. At one point of time, I was scared of commitments. But today, I do believe that a guy can spend his entire life with a woman.”

Will marriage also change his image as a serial kisser? “Even after marriage, I will be a serial kisser!” he says dismissing recent rumours that he wouldn’t do kissing scenes after tying the knot. With rumours of his link-ups with his co-stars, doesn’t his fiancee feel insecure? “Of course, she does. But I guess when you are associated with an actor, controversies are part of the job. She takes it in her stride,” he says.

As far as his career goes, all his songs are a hit. In fact, actor Sanjay Kapoor once mentioned that Emraan was probably a music director in his previous life. “I am a compulsive music buff. All the CDs in my car are my songs. I listen to them back-toback.” Now that’s being a little selfobsessive, isn’t it? “Of course, I am. You’ve got to be a narcissist to be an actor. You’ve got to love yourself.”

In all his films there’s a certain kinkiness in the characters that he portrays. “The audience expects a certain amount of kinkiness from my characters. In all probability, the image that I portray on screen is the real me, maybe, that’s why my characters look so believable!”

So much has been made out of actor Emraan Hashmi’s on-screen kisses, but we guess many co-stars, too, don’t seem to mind it at all. Why should they, especially when the magic is transferred to box office collections as well? When we spoke to actor Kangana Ranaut about her co-star, she said, “Maybe that is the way Emraan wants it to be. Nobody can force you to do things you don’t want to. If Emraan is happy doing what he is doing and if the public loves him for it, what’s wrong in that? It’s a win-win situation. Emraan is being intelligent by making the most of it. Today he demands so much money for each film and even gets it. He’s a star!” As long as the actor is smiling his way to the bank, the kiss-critics can now be ‘tight-lipped’ about this kiss-a and just get used to it.