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Emraan Hashmi says he has been stopped at immigration checks as he ‘fits the bill of somebody’: ‘I have been whisked away to the side’

Emraan Hashmi said that in the early 2000s, he was often stopped at immigration checks as he “fit the bill” of someone, though even he wasn’t sure who that person was.

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jan 7, 2026 09:29 PM IST

Emraan Hashmi will next be seen in Neeraj Pandey’s Taskaree The Smuggler’s Web.

Neeraj Pandey’s fascination with men in uniform, often moustachioed, continues unabated. The filmmaker returns with yet another narrative, this time diving into the high-stakes world of customs officers in his upcoming web series Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web. Headlined by Emraan Hashmi and Sharad Kelkar, the Netflix show promises a rather pulpy look at smuggling and surveillance. The trailer of Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web, which is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on January 14, was launched in Mumbai. During the event, Emraan who plays a customs officer in the series, was asked if he had ever been stopped or questioned by customs officials at an airport. The actor nodded and shared a personal anecdote.

When asked whether he had ever been stopped at the green channel, Emraan said, “No, I think they have been very sweet to me. Whenever I have travelled back, they have been very sweet. But there is this sense of overpowering fear, it’s not logical. It’s like when you learn how to drive, but when you see an RTO officer on the road, you suddenly get anxious. So that’s what happens. When I’m travelling alone, even though I’ve packed only clothes, you still feel like you’re carrying 100 kilos of contraband in your bag while walking through the green channel.”

He further added, “But it’s not at all logical. I have been called out at immigration checks very early on, probably because of earrings or stuff, when I used to travel alone. But now, when they see me with my sweet family, they don’t suspect me. Earlier, in the early 2000s, I used to get whisked away to the side quite a bit. That is called profiling. I fit the bill of somebody, but I don’t know who that person was.”

Also Read | ‘Naseeruddin Shah never said he was uncomfortable with all terrorists being Muslim in A Wednesday,’ says Neeraj Pandey: ‘He said I won’t change a word’

During the trailer launch, Neeraj Pandey also took a playful dig at Emraan Hashmi’s long-standing on-screen image, often associated with intense romance. Joking about casting him in a family-friendly series, Neeraj said, “The only challenge was making a family-friendly show with Emraan. That was quite a challenge, but we managed to pull it off.” Reacting instantly, Emraan laughed and added, “Well, I controlled myself for the show.”

Neeraj Pandey last helmed Season 2 of Special Ops, while Emraan Hashmi was recently seen in Haq, which is currently streaming on Netflix.

Anas Arif

Anas Arif is a prolific Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Analyst at The Indian Express, where he specializes in the intersection of Indian pop culture, auteur-driven cinema, and industrial ethics. His writing is defined by a deep-seated commitment to documenting the evolving landscape of Indian entertainment through the lens of critical theory and narrative authorship. Experience & Career As a core member of The Indian Express entertainment vertical, Anas has cultivated a unique beat that prioritizes the "craft behind the celebrity." He has interviewed a vast spectrum of industry veterans, from blockbuster directors like Vijay Krishna Acharya, Sujoy Ghosh, Maneesh Sharma to experimental filmmakers and screenwriters like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Varun Grover, Rajat Kapoor amongst several others. His career is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, where he frequently tackles the ethical implications of mainstream cinema and the socio-political subtext within popular media. He is also the host of the YouTube series Cult Comebacks, where he talks to filmmakers about movies that may not have succeeded initially but have, over time, gained a cult following. The show aims to explore films as works of art, rather than merely commercial ventures designed to earn box office revenue. Expertise & Focus Areas Anas's expertise lies in his ability to deconstruct cinematic works beyond surface-level reviews. His focus areas include: Auteur Studies: Detailed retrospectives and analyses of filmmakers such as Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, and Neeraj Ghaywan, often exploring their central philosophies and creative evolutions. Cinematic Deconstruction: Examining technical and narrative choices, such as the use of aspect ratios in independent films (Sabar Bonda) or the structural rhythm of iconic soundtracks (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge). Industrial & Social Ethics: Fearless critique of commercial blockbusters, particularly regarding the promotion of bigoted visions or the marginalization of communities in mainstream scripts. Exclusive Long-form Interviews: Conducting high-level dialogues with actors and creators to uncover archival anecdotes and future-looking industry insights. Authoritativeness & Trust Anas Arif has established himself as a trusted voice by consistently moving away from standard PR-driven journalism. Whether he is interrogating the "mythology of Shah Rukh Khan" in modern sequels or providing a space for independent filmmakers to discuss the "arithmetic of karma," his work is rooted in objectivity and extensive research. Readers look to Anas for an educated viewpoint that treats entertainment not just as a commodity, but as a critical reflection of the country's collective conscience. ... Read More

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