Emraan Hashmi, who is playing a magician in Vishal Bhardwaj’s next was required to pick up some magic tricks to enhance his performance on screen. But word is that the filmmaker was not so impressed with what the actor had managed to learn in the meanwhile. Instead, Bhardwaj has now told Emraan to pull his act together and work harder at it.

To fit perfectly into the shoes of his character in this film helmed by Kannan Iyer, the actor was asked to learn magic tricks from some real-life magicians. After a while when Emraan decided to show off his newly acquired skills in front of the director and the producer, apparently they were not very impressed, given the level of special effects and graphic works that has been planned for the film’s post production.

However, the creative producer of the film, Abhishek Choubey, insists that all is well and that the makers are very happy with the way Emraan has been making progress. He says, “It is true that Emraan has been asked to learn magic tricks. But we are very happy with the way he is getting the hang of the tricks.

We have a very good magician Atul Patil who has been teaching him the tricks. He is a very old hand at magic and is also someone who understands the camera and has designed the tricks accordingly. He adds, “We wanted actual tricks instead of camera tricks and that is what Atul has given us.”

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With an opening of Rs.8.5 crore, Jannat 2 is on safe ground and the relief is quite apparent in the "Kutti Kamini Cheez's" voice. Even a star of the masses like Emraan Hashmi, 33, wakes up with cold feet on opening Fridays and doesn't look forward to the day the crowds fail to turn up. For now, he has nothing to fear.

Hashmi speaks to India Today...

Q. For once it's your relationship with another man that is in focus in Jannat 2. How does it feel?
A. The informer-police relationship fascinated the writers. The cat and mouse game with Sonu Dilli trying to outdo the cop and the cop trying to make him do his work was very interesting. I liked that.

Q. Why are kissing and sex scenes almost mandatory in your films?
A. My films have a bold interpretation. They are unapologetic about showing intimacy. Going by the number of people who come to watch my films, this is what our target audience yearns for.

Q. There's a kissing scene between Kalki Koechlin and Prosenjit Chatterjee in your forthcoming film, Shanghai? Why are you missing?
A. I am glad I am not part of it. I play a small-town man who suffers from an inferiority complex.

Q. What kind of films would you like to do now?
A. It should be different. If safe-trade pundits say something is risky, I would like to do that.

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Tired of his kissing boy image, Emraan Hashmi hurled himself wholeheartedly into offbeat director Dibakar Banerjee’s school of filmmaking. The duo talk about how they made this oddball combination work in Shanghai, which will premiere at IIFA 2012.

What do you like about each other's brand of cinema?
Emraan: When I saw Khosla Ka Ghosla, I was impressed. Later, I came to know this strong and conceptually brilliant film was made on a miniscule budget. When Dibakar first messaged me, saying he wanted to meet to discuss a possible film, I had already decided to say yes. I had to work with him. He makes unique films that others would shy away from, and yet manage to strike a chord with the audience. Shanghai, though different from his usual films, does have his stamp on it. It’s a thriller, a whodunit and entertaining as well. The film is profound but it’s not preachy.

Dibakar: I have liked Emraan since his debut film Footpath (2003). He had little to do in that film, but he stood out from the rest. Despite the glam-heavy films he has done, you can see how his eyes speak a lot. I love how they can emote so much. Emraan always clicks with the audience instantly. He is so relatable in the films he has done that your heart goes out for the character.

So far, both of you have explored diverse sides of filmmaking. How has working together benefited both of you? Also, tell us more about each other's contributions to the film. Emraan: There is a certain way in which Dibakar envisions characters in his films, a quality that is is very unique to him. I haven’t seen things like that before in the films I have done so far. There is a certain subtext to every performance and role. He goes into the complexities of what each character is thinking — where it’s coming from, where it’s going and what it’s going through. That means even more hard work for the actor. He does a lot of prep work.  

Dibakar: It is a winning formula for both of us. We were diametrically opposite, but what is more important is the coming together of Abhay Deol and Emraan Hashmi on screen. That is the odd, unique combination; people don’t know what to expect. A lot of people told me I had gone mad casting these two together and warned me against it. But I enjoy going against the grain.

Emraan, will being in a Dibakar film help you shed the serial kisser tag and let people take you seriously? And Dibakar, will Emraan’s mass appeal help you get eyeballs for your films?
Emraan: I don’t sign films with directors simply because their previous ventures had a  Rs. 50 crore opening. I don’t do south remakes just because it’s the trend now. I don’t jump onto those bandwagons. I like people like Dibakar Banerjee, Rajkumar Gupta who are make interesting and unique cinema. I want to be part of their films. It’s not the need to shed a tag but the desire to do more. I take my films pretty seriously, be it Jannat 2 or Shanghai.

Dibakar: Of course. Emraan has a pull with his audience. However, we aren’t totally counting on that because we have cast Emraan in a non-sensual role. In fact, Emraan was excited when we told him: ‘You won’t look hot on screen!’. He jumped up and down in excitement when I said :‘We will make you look ugly.’ In this film, you will see a very repulsive and grotesque Emraan as Jogi Parmar.

Emraan, was it challenging to work with a director known for his strong subject-oriented films and maverick style of filming? Dibakar, was it daunting to cast Emraan in a non-glam avatar?
Emraan: I had to go through ten workshops with Dibakar’s team. It breaks you as an actor! He hurled me into the fire with this one. Jogi is not even five percent close to who I am. The character is someone I don’t understand at all. The whole shooting experience has been a discovery of sorts for me.

Dibakar: The audience is in for a surprise from Emraan in this film. He was initially uncomfortable and nervous about becoming Jogi. But he has put in a lot of hard work. Which other established actors would go through acting workshops to get into character? The first day when he came to the sets after the workshop, the crew was abuzz about how they saw Jogi in him and not Emraan!

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Emraan Hashmi is known to always have hit songs in all his films. And perhaps his current success rate has also made him a bit more demanding.

Apparently the actor has told his producer of Ek Thi Dayan, Vishal Bhardwaj (also the music director of the film) that he wants a bigger song than Dhan Te Nan (which Vishal composed for Shahid Kapoor in Kaminey).

Emraan's films always come with the promise of super hit songs. At times music companies insist on a promotional video if there's no scope for song in the film. Shanghai director Dibakar Banerjee had to add a romantic song to the soundtrack because the music company insisted.

When Vishal, who is known for his chart busters (Beedi Jalai Le, Dhan Te Nan and Ibne Batoota) came together with Emraan, the expectations were already high. Apparently, the reason for the 'better' song is that Emraan is competitive by nature and wants his song to be remembered more than Shahid's.

Emraan admits, "Yes I want it bigger and hotter as I want to give Ek Thi Daayan the best chartbuster track of the year. I love the music Vishal gives as I find it very melodious and novel and I loved Dhan Te Nan. In fact I don't know anyone who didn't like the song!

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Emraan Hashmi is riding the tide high with back to back success. He is one actor who has defined his own rules and have created a distinct place in the industry. With offers from all the major production houses pouring in, Emraan seems to be making a cut into the mainstream. And it's this new found position, considering Jannat 2 has got a good review, that has allowed Emraan to take a plunge into doing something different in his upcoming film.

His next film alongside Abhay Deol, Shanghai, is a much awaited film where Emraan would be seen a different avatar. So does he feel he is now ready to go out and do different kind of cinema? Emraan says, "Everyone's in a position to do different kind of cinema, but they choose not to. I am excited about the new look and the film as it is going to create a new image for me." He adds, "The audience is very smart these days and they know what a good film is, and if you make a good film, people will watch it. Shanghai is something different and I am sure people will accept me in the new look and the role. It is boring to do the same kind of films revolving around women and sex."Well, we sure think it is a good idea to try something new, after all little variety never hurts.

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They say no one in B-town dares to refuse Yash Raj Films. Unless of course, you happen to be Emraan Hashmi. Mirror has learnt that while YRF wanted the actor to star in one of their upcoming films, Mahesh Bhatt’s nephew turned down the offer, reportedly because he didn’t have dates for the role.

It was a few days ago when Emraan visited Yash Raj Studios (Andheri) when the offer was made. Although the actor gave the makers a patient ear, a few days later, he informed them he wouldn’t be able to accept it. The saving grace being he didn’t keep them waiting too long.

So has Emraan grown too big for his boots, courtesy his current hit Jannat 2, among others? According to industry sources, the actor, who is busy with the promotions of Raaz 3 and Shanghai not to mention gearing up for the shoot of Ghanchhakkar, Ek Thi Daayan, Rensil D’silva’s next and possibly Kunal Deshmukh’s next as well, did not have dates for the role. Or is it that he didn’t find the role meaty enough? Rubbishing such claims, a friend of Emraan told Mirror, “Not really. The main reason was that he is terribly busy.”

It is learnt the YRF offer came soon after Emraan signed KJo’s film to be directed by Rensil D’silva. And while many in the trade feel he should have signed the YRF film as it would have taken him a few notches higher than where he is currently, his friend argued saying, “There is no point in doing what one cannot do. There are actors who keep producers waiting but Emraan is not that type.”Another source in the know told us, “Emraan’s decision has sent shock waves through the industry. But it is clear that the man is a thorough professional.”

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He is tasting success film after film, but Emraan Hashmi is not willing to fit into the category of Bollywood's A-list stars. He doesn't want to play it safe and says he is ready to take risks just as he has done with every project so far.

"I have never really wanted to sort myself and other actors by that list. I have always done films that I believed in and yes it is very important for box office collections to do well. I have never really wanted to belong," the 33-year-old said here.

The actor has delivered consecutive hits with "Murder 2", "The Dirty Picture" and "Jannat 2". "I'd rather not belong to a particular list and just do films I probably did four years back. I don't want to get safer with the success of 'Jannat 2'. I want to do riskier films and make them a success," he added. He also admits that the masses' verdict matters over the classes' opinion for him.

"I hold the verdict of the people who watch films cinematically in single screens very close to my heart. I go to single screens to watch the reaction of the people. For me that is a big reward. I have always wanted to be a strong mass actor," said Emraan. Emraan's next is Dibakar Banerjee's "Shanghai" in which he plays Joginder Parmar, a porn filmmaker. He is also set to work in his first 'U' certified film.

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Emraan Hashmi is ready to let the magic begin. And that's meant in quite a literal sense. In Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Ek Thi Dayan' Emraan plays a magician. And he's not going to leave any stone unturned to ensure he looks convincing performing the magician's tricks.

Going the way of Hrithik Roshan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Guzaarish' Emraan would be learning magic tricks from one of the foremost magicians of the country before performing them on screen.

Says our source from the project's core team, "It's very simple, really. Emraan doesn't want trick photography to be used for his magician's part in 'Ek Thi Dayan'. He wants all the magic tricks on screen to look, to BE, real. Vishal Bharadwaj has decided to hire one of India's topmost magicians, whom we won't like to name at the moment, to teach Emraan some really intricate magical tricks."

Mastering the magical maneouvrings would only be part Emraan's preparations in 'Ek Thi Dayan'. He also needs to probe deep into the psychology of a delusional character.

Says our source from the team, "Emraan's character 'sees things' we don't know till the end if his visions are real or imagined. Emraan has to understand the psyche of a delusional man before he can convincingly play a man who sees things that others can't. It's a tough role."

Making it tougher is the fact that the film is also about witchcraft. Hashmi, we are told, has been meeting up with real-life witches to get a hang of the theme. Says the source,"It just freaked him out. Emraan's encounter with witches left him s**t scared. But he has no choice but to go with the character's requirements."

The film has an interesting background. It was a short story written by Aparna Sen's ex-hudband journalist Mukul Sharma. Says our source, "Vishal loved the story and asked Mukul Sharma to develop it into a full-fledged screenplay. The shortstory become an 80-page novella. And then the screenplay for 'Ek Thi Dayan'."

Emraan's character of the delusional magician is based on Mukul Shama's own encounter with occultism, a world that Emraan is trying to get familiar with.

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The Mahesh Bhatt-Emraan Hashmi combination seems to be a winning formula for the box-office. In line with their previous releases Raaz (2002), Murder (2004) and Jannat (2008), and even Gangster (2006), their recent venture, Jannat 2, has raked in an opening weekend net collection of Rs. 24.03

He adds, “Emraan ranks second after Salman Khan in terms of mass appeal, and his film has got the fourth biggest opening after Agneepath, Housefull 2 and Agent Vinod this year. It performed the best at single screens, while the multiplexes did not contribute much.”

The analyst feels the weekend numbers have been impressive, but given Emraan’s track record, Jannat 2 collections could have been better. He says, “The film opened at Rs. 8.52 crore on Friday. On Saturday it took a dip and made Rs. 6.9 crore. And on Sunday, it crossed Rs. 8.61 cr.”

The actor himself happily accepts the ‘bankable star tag’. He says, “I learnt the business of films from my very first movie.” Emraan adds, “To make the film on a certain budget and get a good first weekend opening is a benchmark for success. It is a huge responsibility since I want to make sure that my films guarantee returns.”

Producer Mahesh Bhatt says, “Even Emraan’s harshest critic can’t look away from the fact that he has given a consistent performance at the box-office. Jannat 2 recovered its cost, plus the money spent on its publicity, on the first day itself.”

Sunil Punjabi, CEO, Cinemax Cinema chips in, “Jannat had a mixed response on the weekend with 70 screens across the country. The film did well in Mumbai and other territories in Maharashtra. It also had a big opening in Delhi and throughout the south. However, its performance in Gujarat wasn’t as strong.”

Bankable combo*
Murder Rs 3 crore
Murder 2 Rs 22.5 crore
Raaz Rs 3.15 crore
Raaz 2 Rs 15 crore
Gangster Rs 4 crore
Jannat  Rs 10.5 crore
Jannat2  Rs 24.03 crore

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Mumbai: Emraan Hashmi, who will be seen as a porn filmmaker in Dibakar Banerjee`s upcoming political thriller ‘Shanghai’, Sunday said he had gained nine to 10 kg for the role.

This film is all set to release June 8. Hashmi said he plays the role of a porn filmmaker called Joginder Parmar. "I play the role of Joginder Parmar. He is a very rooted and real character. He is extremely interesting and you would all love him. It is very different from what I played in `Kalyug`," he said at the music launch here.

Hashmi`s look is very different in the movie. "There were a lot of look tests after the character sketch was given. Eventually this one emerged. I had to put on weight for this character. I had to go two shades darker. In the morning, we used to prepare for this, before the shoot."

"I had to even work on my teeth and put things on it to get the look. I dont know how many actors would want to look grotesque on screen. When Dibankar told me, he thought I would say no, but I didn`t. I think its a great opportunity," he added.

"I gained nine-10 kilos. I had to start changing my diet and eat only fast food and pasta on the set."The cast includes Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin and Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee.

Talking about the film, Hashmi said: "Its a very normal film. Its relevant and the story is very interesting. I am sure this film will be a landmark film for us. Its an interesting film. We have maintained a commercial outlook with the music of this film."After back to back hits like "Jannat 2" and "Murder 2", Hashmi seems to be one of the biggest stars of Bollywood today.

Asked whom he wants to dedicate this success to, he said: "I have always said that when a film does well, its because of the team. The entire team contributes to it. It is a synergy of talent. Even if `Shanghai` works, its a team effort. A lot of work goes into a film and its a lot of departments who work together."

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