Journalism of Courage
Known for locking lips in most of his films, Emraan Hashmi has made a name for himself with his excellent performances in several hit films. Earning the title of the ‘Hit Machine’, Emraan celebrates his 35th birthday today. We go back in time and remember some of his best onscreen acts:
Ek Thi Daayan (2013): Emraan Hashmi teamed up with three ladies – Huma Qureshi, Konkana Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin for ‘Ek Thi Daayan’, where he played a magician traumatized by his past. Though the film opened to positive reviews, it underperformed at the box office. Emraan on the other hand received much praise for his portrayal of ‘Bobo’.
Kalyug (2005): The Mohit Suri directed film saw Emraan move away from his serial kissing image as he played Ali Bhai, a man who runs a sex shop. Even though Emraan was playing a supporting role to Kunal Khemu who was marking his acting debut, Emraan Hashmi garnered much praise for his performance.
Murder (2004): Emraan took on the role of an obsessive lover in Anurag Basu’s ‘Murder’ opposite Mallika Sherawat. The film was a massive commercial successs and Emraan received a Filmfare nomination for Best Performance in a Negative Role and a Screen nomination for Best Villain.
Jannat (2008): Emraan delivered a notable performance in Kunal Deshmukh’s ‘Jannat’ based on crime, greed and fast cash. Set against the backdrop of match fixing, ‘Jannat’ was said to be a turning point in Emraan’s career.
Gangster (2006): Emraan joined hands with director Anurag Basu as he played the role of Akash, an undercover cop disguised as a lounge singer. The romantic thriller that launched Kangana Ranaut and also starred Shiney Ahuja turned out to be a success and Emraan received his first Filmfare nomination for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
Awarapan (2007): Emraan once again teamed up with Mohit Suri for action crime-thriller ‘Awarapan’, where he essayed the role of a gangster with a heart wrenching past. Though the film opened well, it was only a moderate commercial success. But once again, Emraan lived up to the expectations of his fans.
Tum Mile (2009): Once again Emraan tackled a role completely different from his usual characters and delved into the romantic film opposite Soha Ali Khan. Though the chemistry between the duo was palatable, the film tanked, but not without immense praise for Emraan.
Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010): Emraan then acted in Milan Luthria's period action-drama ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai’ featuring Ajay Devgan, Randeep Hooda, Kangna Ranaut and Prachi Desai. His portrayal of Shoaib Khan, based on real-life gangster Dawood Ibrahim was said to be one of his best performances. The actor received a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actor along with various other nominations.
The Dirty Picture (2011): Emraan once again appeared in Milan Luthria’s hit flick, ‘The Dirty Picture’ co-starring Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor, where he played the role of a bitter writer. The film was a huge commercial and critical success, earning Emraan a couple of Best Supporting actor nominations.
Shanghai (2012): Emraan then delivered an absolute knockout performance in Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Shanghai’ also starring Abhay Deol, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Kalki Koechlin. Based on an adaptation of writer Vassilis Vassilikos's novel Z and the 1969 French film of the same name, Emraan played the role of a videographer who shoots sex films. The film received much critical acclaim and Emraan received three award nominations.
