Emraan Hashmi has steadily evolved from romantic leads and anti-heroes to playing layered officials and intelligence officers in projects like Shanghai, Bard of Blood and Tiger 3. His latest web show, Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web, features him as a customs officer.

On preparing for diverse roles, Emraan says, “It’s a very chaotic thing. There is no particular streamline where I play different characters. There is a journey you see on paper... the arc of the character through the episodes. What is great is that in a show you get seven episodes to play it out, so you get more meat.”

Emraan Hashmi has steadily evolved from romantic leads and anti-heroes to playing layered officials and intelligence officers in projects like Shanghai, Bard of Blood and Tiger 3. His latest web show, Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web, features him as a customs officer. On preparing for diverse roles, Emraan says, “It’s a very chaotic thing. There is no particular streamline where I play different characters. There is a journey you see on paper... the arc of the character through the episodes. What is great is that in a show you get seven episodes to play it out, so you get more meat.”

Reflecting on his career, he notes, “There are some actors who probably want to play the same variation of roles. I have done that earlier in my career. But what I found merit in was getting into the skin of different characters through the journey.”

He said, “My first taste of it was in Shanghai (2012). Even in my first film, Footpath (2003), this thrill was there. You come back home and you know you pushed yourself… you are emotionally spent because you play another personality.”

That pursuit of novelty continues to guide his choices. “That has been my goal — always surprise the audience with something they have not seen you do. After so many years, it becomes very difficult sometimes. That is why you have to say no to more films than say yes.” With nearly 50 films behind him, Emraan says, “When something like a customs officer’s role in a Neeraj Pandey project comes to you, then you grab it with both hands.”