Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 24, 2020)

This is a busy year for Emraan Hashmi, who is seen as one of the most outspoken Bollywood actors. Chehre will see him joining hands with Amitabh Bachchan, while with Mumbai Saga, he makes a comeback to the masala zone.There’s Ezra, a horror film lined up, too. And the actor says that in this industry, you have to always be alert since there is so much competition. Excerpts:

What made you say yes to Mumbai Saga?
It’s a mass zone, and an entertainer, something that I haven’t touched for some time now. It’s something I have been wanting to get back into. People will get their money’s worth. Sanjay Gupta was one director on my bucket list, and no one does mass better than him. He understands the sensibilities of the audience.

You have not done many masala films in the last few years. Were you consciously holding back, or did good offers not materialise?
A bit of both. I wanted to steer in a different direction, and that’s why I felt that I should try my hand at different characters. I did a biopic (Azhar, 2016), and one film on the Indian education system (Why Cheat India, 2019). I felt tired of what I was doing… There’s nothing wrong in it. It’s just that I wanted to explore something else. It’s important to get creative satisfaction from what you do. I was never opposed to the idea of doing a mass entertainer, but I did not want to repeat myself. I thought I will take a bit of detour, and get back.

You call yourself an ‘accidental’ actor. Are you comfortable with the profession today?
Yes and no. Some things are great, while some are not. The good part is obviously when you find your voice in the profession, and you are excited. So, then you realise your dreams, get acclaim, and become famous — that’s what an actor wants. But there are negatives, too. I’m generally a private person. Sometimes, you want to disconnect, but because of the sheer curiosity [of the audience and fans] which you have to deal with in this profession, you are always engaged. You cannot, for a minute, let [your guard] down, because there’s so much competition. But it’s great for any industry, to always be on your toes, so it’s not really a negative.

So, you do feel the heat of the competition?
I don’t think any actor doesn’t feel it. They pretend like they are invincible, but every actor, at the core, has a deep seated insecurity that stems after a successful film — to keep that success going. You are insecure that you might lose the success. When you are going through a low phase, you worry about keeping afloat. Actors are extremely vulnerable in this industry because you can, as a performer, put out your best creatively, but there are several dynamics involved, [and] you realise you are empowered yet powerless. There are a lot of things that are not in your control. I have seen success destroy people. Failures keep you grounded.