Emraan Hashmi reveals Mahesh Bhatt’s warning against playing Shoaib in ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai’
Emraan Hashmi reveals Mahesh Bhatt's warning against playing Shoaib in 'Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'
Emraan Hashmi, known for his portrayal of Shoaib Khan in the critically acclaimed film “Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai,” shared that his uncle and director, Mahesh Bhatt, opposed him taking on the role.
In a recent interview, Hashmi recounted Bhatt’s stark warning: “If you play this character, your career will be over.” Bhatt was apprehensive due to the irredeemable nature of the character, which he believed could drastically alter the audience’s perception of Hashmi. “He warned me, ‘While some characters with grey shades are able to redeem themselves, this character will change people’s perception of you overnight,’” Hashmi recalled.
The character of Shoaib Khan is inspired by the notorious underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim. This was a significant departure from Hashmi’s previous roles and sparked concern from Bhatt about the potential impact on Hashmi’s career.
Despite warnings, Hashmi decided to embrace the challenging role. The decision proved fruitful. The film was a massive success, upon release. Reflecting on the outcome, Hashmi mentioned that Bhatt later apologized to the film’s director, Milan Luthria. “When the film released and became a massive success, he called Milan and said, ‘I am sorry. I was wrong.’ He admitted that the film, contrary to his initial thoughts, was entertaining rather than dark,” Hashmi added.
“Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai” was notable for its unconventional ending, which deviated from typical Bollywood narratives. In the film, the protagonist Sultan Mirza, played by Ajay Devgn, is killed and Shoaib Khan ascends to power. This anti-hero storyline was a significant risk. Though, ultimately it contributed to the film’s success, “The hero of the film is killed and Shoaib begins to rule the city. It was quite different from other films. Ajay died and my character was an anti-hero. Bhatt saab was sceptical about the ending too. He was not sure if the audience would like it. But in our industry, only when you take a risk, you see success. Formula seldom works in our industry,” Hashmi shared.
“Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai” (2010) is a neo-noir crime thriller written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria, featuring a star-studded cast including Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai, and Randeep Hooda. The film’s daring narrative and strong performances have solidified its place in Bollywood cinema.
