Emraan Hashmi talks about 'reinventing himself' after 'serial kisser' tag
What's the story
The "serial kisser" label, which is synonymous with Emraan Hashmi's early career, has been both a blessing and a bane. In an interview with Hindustan Times, the actor opened up about how this image helped him commercially but also limited his journey in Bollywood. He revealed that the tag was not just accidental but was also actively promoted during its inception.
Image formation
'I was also raking in that image...'
Hashmi's "serial kisser" image took root with his second film, Murder (2004), co-starring Mallika Sherawat. He admitted that the image was not an accident but a deliberate marketing strategy. "They were commercial successes, and I was also raking in that image. We were playing up to it through the marketing. The press was in on it," he said.
Career evolution
'They say every 10 to 14 years it switches...'
Hashmi, who has been a part of the film industry for over two decades, said, "After a decade of doing it, I realized that the audience changes." "They say every 10 to 14 years it switches. The next generation comes to the theatres." "It's very important to reinvent yourself for that fresh audience." "And every character, every mould, reaches the saturation point." "I realised I juiced it to the hilt, yeah. So it was very important to me to switch."
Image persistence
Hashmi's struggle with breaking free from his old image
Despite his efforts to redefine himself with films like Jannat, Awarapan, and Shanghai, the shadow of his old image still follows him. "What happens is that when you have such a strong image, especially in a very conservative society like India, they will still hold on to it." "Like, if you see people from the press conference the other day, there was still a question about the kiss that pops up," he said.
Career advice
Hashmi's advice on breaking free from typecasting
Hashmi emphasized the importance of risk-taking and versatility in breaking free from typecasting. "You have to go out there and just play in the front foot and do something to at least show your versatility." "Just go out there and be daring with the stuff that you're doing," he said. He has been actively pursuing roles that are far removed from his earlier image, with his latest project being Taskaree on Netflix.