At a time when many actors are slowing down, Emraan Hashmi is quietly entering what he calls the happiest phase of his career. Nearly two decades after his debut in Footpath, the actor finds himself balancing scale with substance, commercial appeal with conviction-led cinema. The coming months are packed: Awarapan 2 is set to go on floors in Bangkok, while Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web is lined up for Netflix, and Gunmaster G9 is also in the pipeline. He is also reportedly returning to mainstream commercial space with Goodachari 2.
His latest release, Haq, sees him in a role quite unexpected of Hashmi. He says that it is a part of his endeavour to choose cinema that is both truthful and mainstream. “We’ve lost touch with the art of making mass films in Hindi cinema,” he says. “The South still excels at that. With new commercial films, I am trying to reconnect with the audience.”
That attempt does not mean abandoning risk and falling into what the industry wants. Hashmi remains vocal about the need for the Hindi film industry to break out of its comfort zone. “I think our theatrical business has suffered in recent years. We need to take more risks, create bolder stories, and not play it safe. The industry has become a bit complacent; we should reinvent ourselves and make diverse films.”
This belief underpins Haq, where he plays a lawyer for the first time, defending his own case. Inspired by a real-life legal battle of Shah Bano in 1978, the film engages with faith, law, and women’s rights without flattening its characters into easy binaries. “The film is inspired by true events. Only certain nuances have been dramatised to suit a theatrical audience. We had to include emotions, romance, and songs to make it engaging. However, the sensitivity of the real case has been preserved.”
Portraying a story rooted in lived histories came with responsibility. The most important one was to handle the subject sensitively. “We remained respectful to the people and communities involved. It’s about showing both perspectives—personal faith and constitutional law—without bias.”
Hashmi’s character Abbas operates in morally complex terrain, something the actor actively resists simplifying. “Abbas, my character, is the hero of his own narrative—he acts according to his beliefs and perception of faith. He’s not a villain but a man rooted in his traditions. I prefer understanding rather than judging my characters.”
As a Muslim actor working on a film that engages with Islamic law and triple talaq, Hashmi was acutely aware of the scrutiny it might invite. “I had to ensure that we weren’t passing any judgment on the community. The film is not about religion, but about personal truth and human conflict. It’s a balanced, progressive, and pro-women narrative.”
Looking back at his longevity, Hashmi credits choice over volume. “I’ve always chosen diverse roles. Different characters keep me and the audience interested.” That philosophy has only sharpened with time. “Earlier, I used to do about four films a year. Now, I do one or two films annually.” At ease with reinvention, Hashmi sounds settled yet restless. “It’s been a journey of learning… I’m happy to still be experimenting with new stories.”