No Dirty Picture without Emraan

You may love him or hate him, but you have to credit Emraan Hashmi for creating an audience base that goes beyond his “serial kisser” tag. Willing to take on bold, aggressive roles (Murder, Jannat, Once Upon A Time in Mumbai), Hashmi expanded his horizons with rom-com Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, earlier this year, and the forthcoming entertainer, The Dirty Picture. Taking some time off from the Jannat 2 shoot, Emraan spoke to us in a freewheeling chat.

This time, except for you, everything seems dirty in The Dirty Picture.
“No, I am the dirtiest of the lot. You can’t make a dirty picture without Emraan Hashmi. Dirty is pretty apt for the film. The tone of the film is bold and provocative but it doesn’t cross the line into vulgarity, which is always subjective. Still, most people have seen it in a good light. At the end of the day, it is an entertaining film.”
So how bold are you in the film?
“I am quite bold but Naseerji is the boldest in the film. He has taken on my mantle in the film. He is doing what I normally do in films. I have taken a break now (laughs).”
Did you hesitate before signing The Dirty Picture since Vidya Balan is the protagonist?
“I did consider that. Generally, I like playing the protagonist. I am a very selfish actor and don’t like sharing my screen space. Here, Vidya has greater footage. But I also felt that if I don’t do this film, I would regret not being part of a great film.”
While everyone in this film sports the 80s look, why is your look contemporary?
“My character, Abraham, challenges the way people dressed at that time and their ideologies. Everyone else is in a burst of colour but this guy looks different. He walks his own path and throughout the film he is seen wearing black. He is an artistic film maker and likes logic in films. He doesn’t understand buffoonery and entertainment, something that Vidya and Naseerji’s characters stand for. He is an intellectual and wears spectacles, etc.”
Reportedly, your character is based on your uncle and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. How true is that?
“It’s not part of the script but yeah, I have probably subconsciously borrowed from him. In his time he was a rebellious director who did things his own way. There was traditional Bollywood cinema and there were his type of films. He was also very headstrong and volatile, like my character Abraham.”
Vidya Balan has said that you are a man of few words.
“Milan (the director) didn’t want us to meet before and talk much. I had never spoken to Vidya except for a phone conversation where she said she liked OUATIM and then, once at a function. We didn’t break the ice because of Milan. I was lost for words when I saw what she was wearing in the film. In the first scene, you have to see what she is wearing. Even you will be at a loss for words.”
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Bhumika is happily married

After tasting success with a reality show on TV, actor Bhumika is all set to grab attention across the country as a judge of a dance talent show on Sony. She trashes rumours that she will be playing the role of Mahesh’s sister-in-law in a Dil Raju’s production saying that she has already played Mahesh’s love in the blockbuster Okkadu.

The actor is enjoying a rocking marriage and is presently acquiring new skills after learning to cook and paint. She says, “Such reports never surprise me. It’s just another piece of ‘crap’. Acting has always been a part of my life and I was so involved that I never got the time to take a break. However, in the past one year, I have got the opportunity to do whatever I want. I am spending some time learning new things and am enjoying my private space after years of roaming from studio to studio,” says the actor who has spent 10 years in the industry.
She retorts to a question of the celebrity couple being in a financial crisis after their home production Takita Takita failed to impress audiences and crashed at the box office. “That’s rubbish. Our financial position is strong and we will definitely resume production next year. However, we learnt a few lessons and vowed never to repeat them,” she says.
However, one rumour shattered her life and forced the once reclusive actor to defend her marriage with Bharat Thakur, since the reports almost got them divorced. “If not for the strong bond we shared, anyone else would have got the jitters.”
After a rumour-free Tollywood innings, this rumour of our break up hit me hard. Initially I couldn’t bear it, but now both of us look back and laugh,” she explains. In fact, the couple are in a globe-trotting mood and have toured Europe, Arab Countries and even some pilgrimage spots in India, strengthening their bond even more.
“I’m blessed to have such a husband but our tours helped us unwind and understand each other better. He has started to pamper me even more. Bharat is teaching yoga all over the world and left Mumbai a few days ago, I have started to miss him already” says the typical wife.

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