Emraan Hashmi, one of Bollywood’s most versatile actors, recently spoke candidly about the evolving landscape of the film industry, stressing the importance of reinvention and relevance in today’s cinema. Hashmi, who rose to fame in the 2000s and 2010s with hits like Gangster, The Dirty Picture, Shanghai, and successful franchises like Raaz and Murder, believes the key to staying relevant is to embrace change and learn from the new generation of filmmakers.
In a recent interview, Emraan discussed the importance of reinventing oneself in an industry that is constantly evolving. He emphasized how crucial it is to stay open-minded, collaborate with contemporary filmmakers, and understand the mindset of younger talent. “Relevance is something I think it’s important when you cross a certain age, when the new breed of actors and filmmakers come in. It’s very important to kind of learn from them, I think that’s what relevance is all about,” he shared.
The 46-year-old actor went on to talk about the need for actors to shake things up and challenge themselves creatively. He highlighted his shift to the digital space with Bard of Blood in 2017-2018, a project that marked a departure from his usual roles. “If I was just being regressive and I was like ‘I’m going to keep doing what (I do)’, that’s counterproductive to relevance,” he said.
However, Emraan also expressed concerns about the current state of the Bollywood industry. According to him, the industry is in need of a major recalibration. “There’s no mystery about it as an industry that is going through a certain phase where we need to recalibrate, rethink the kind of films that we’re making. Make films that are a little more rooted and bring in that whole pan-India feeling ethos for the audiences to come in,” he stated. He pointed out that many films are influenced by western sensibilities, particularly in the OTT space, and the industry needs to re-evaluate the type of content that resonates with wider audiences.
The actor suggested that filmmakers should focus on making films that appeal to the masses rather than just an elite audience. “You can’t have a certain elite texture to the film because a lot of those concept films and western sensibilities are there on OTT. So, to get the numbers in, it’s important to do a complete overhaul of the kind of films that we’re making,” Emraan said. He also mentioned that while this is a sign of worry, he believes the industry is still in the process of figuring things out.
Addressing the current trend of films failing to connect with audiences, Emraan said that many filmmakers are still in denial about the changing dynamics of the industry. He reflected on how the shift from single-screen cinemas to multiplexes has changed the way films are made and consumed. “It’s just that people haven’t recalibrated to what was the single screen era, out of a lack of a better term for it, then when the multiplexes came in, people started fueling a certain western sensibility,” he noted.
Emraan also shared that due to the current state of the industry, he has become more selective about the roles he takes on. “For one thing, it is disastrous to have a film that doesn’t connect at all on any level,” he said. Emraan is now more conscious of the films he chooses, ensuring they have the potential to reach a wide audience. “It’s important to kind of get that right. So, that’s what I have in mind when I’m hearing the script or when I zero down on a film,” he added.
The actor, who most recently starred in Tiger 3 alongside Salman Khan, revealed that he will be stepping away from playing similar antagonist roles in the future. “I did Tiger 3 because I loved the character. It was not a typical kind of antagonist, there was a backstory. Now that I’ve done that, I’ll not pick up too many of those,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Emraan is excited about his upcoming project, Ground Zero, an action-thriller set to release in theaters on April 25. The film, directed by Tejas Deoskar, also stars Sai Tamhankar and Zoya Hussain in key roles. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment, Ground Zero promises to be another exciting venture for the actor as he continues to explore fresh and diverse roles in an ever-changing film industry.
As Emraan Hashmi continues to reinvent his career, his reflections on the industry’s future and his own journey highlight the importance of embracing change and staying in tune with the evolving tastes of the audience.
Sources By Agencies
