In February 2024, actor Adivi Sesh announced that Emraan Hashmi was joining his Telugu spy thriller, Goodachari 2. Over a year on, as the two actors have wrapped up the shoot of Vinay Kumar Sirigineedi’s directorial venture, Sesh says sharing screen space with the Bollywood actor — whose hit numbers he would dance to, long before he forayed into films — was a joyous experience.

“I have been a fan of Emraan’s work for [years]. I remember going to the theatre and being captivated by his screen presence, or dancing to his incredible songs, which became party anthems and continue to be played across. [Goodachari 2] is one of those rare instances in life where you get to work with someone you’ve admired. This is a fan living his dream,” he smiles.

Hashmi plays the parallel lead to Sesh’s Agent Gopi 116, a character he is reprising from his 2018 original Goodachari. Considering Sesh has also co-written the film with Sirigineedi, the actor believes that Hashmi complemented the character he had built on paper.

The actor and writer adds, “Emraan brings a lived-in intensity. For the world of Goodachari 2, which is darker than the first film, we needed someone who could [be part of] that space without trying too hard. Emraan fits the bill.”