One of the latest artistes to join the Punjabi industry from Bollywood, Amyra Dastur has already done three Punjabi music videos. Having modelled for videos of Harrdy Sandhu, Inder Chahal, Karan Aujla, Raftaar and Asees Kaur, the actress says she is feeling heady about having fulfilled a long-cherished dream of working in Punjab. Excerpts from the chat:

Much like my journey so far, it was always a dream to do a Punjabi music video. People don’t know this, but I’m a huge fan of Punjabi music. My workout playlist is filled with songs by Diljit Dosanjh, Harrdy Sandhu, Karan Aujla, Honey Singh and other talented artistes. When I received offers for Punjabi videos, it was about choosing the right song and the right video concept.

It’s been so much fun. Music videos are hectic because you have to capture so much footage over two-three days. A simple 30-second brand advertisement takes two days to complete, so you can imagine the chaos of seven-eight locations and outfit changes and different choreography shooting for a music video. But shooting in Chandigarh makes it fun.

Since Punjabi is a little similar to Hindi, I understand some of it but have to ask everyone to speak slowly, so I can understand them. It’s funny, but I’ll get there eventually. I watch Punjabi films just as I watch southern and other language films too because you need to expose yourself to all sorts of cinema and see the topics they address.

It was very scary in the beginning because I walked into the industry with assumptions. Once those were broken, there was nothing to be afraid of. Acting is the same in any language. So long as you’re confident in your lines and emotions, you can act in any language.

Amyra Dastur, who has been a part of Bollywood and South Indian films, has started exploring the digital space in recent times. While she says that nothing can compare to the high of being on the big screen, she also feels that the OTT medium offers actors an interesting range of roles. In a conversation with Bombay Times, the actress spoke about being part of both mediums and the competition between them. Excerpts:

Right now, theatres are yet to open everywhere. I don’t peg OTT against theatres because they are different mediums. A theatrical experience is something else entirely and I believe that OTT medium is used at one’s convenience. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, people have had to stay at home, but I know that once theatres open, people will want to step out. In other words, it’s not OTT vs theatres, but content vs content.

All projects have faced problems due to the Coronavirus lockdown. We began shooting it in 2020 and then the lockdown happened. We started shooting for it this year again, but then the second lockdown happened. Our show has a big ensemble cast so getting dates is another issue. Also, our set is big since we need to show Mumbai circa 1970 and having a limited crew isn’t possible. So yes, we’ve had a few setbacks, but I have always believed that great things take time. Luckily, we have a great director, production house, and actors ready to get back to this project as soon as possible. The only thing one can do is try and be positive and hope for the best in circumstances that are beyond anyone’s control.

I feel like I’ve done very little work. I feel like I’ve only hit about 25 per cent of my potential. I have a long way to go and a lot more to do. I definitely want to do a dance film, something along the lines of Dirty Dancing. I’ve always wanted to play a rani (queen) on the big screen, but I feel I need a little more maturity to pull off a role like that. I’m yearning for an action film. I’ve even asked my managers to prioritise high-octane action thriller films. We’re on the hunt for one.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Deepika Padukone. Both these ladies are from non-filmy families and have reached great heights and set bars for the rest of us. Among actors, Ranveer Singh and Aamir Khan inspire me because they are brilliant at playing different characters and have such diverse expressions. It’s fun to watch them on screen. 

Amyra Dastur holds her childhood memories related to the Parsi New Year very close to her heart. Reminiscing the time, she says, “My favourite memories are from when all of us lived together before I moved out and my brother went to the UK for work. We would always sneak out desserts from the fridge while mom wasn’t looking. Sometimes, even my dad helped us if they were on a high shelf. In fact, Parsi New Year is my favourite day of the year.”

Much like every year, the actor’s looking forward to spending the day with her family reliving the old times: “My mom is the best cook in our family; she makes the best dishes on New Year. My family in Mumbai will get together for lunch. My cousins and I play cards together. It’s our favourite thing to do when the four of us meet.”

For Dastur, festivals are also about going easy on her diet and devouring cheat meals. “I’m looking forward to the kulfi that mom gets from Parsi Dairy Farm (Mumbai). It’s my favourite ice cream and I’ve eaten bowls of it without any guilt and that’s exactly what I plan to do this year as well!” she shares.

While the essence of festivals may have changed due to the pandemic, the actor hopes they continue to be all about “being with family and your loved ones”. She adds, “Festivals should be the time to help the needy and give back to society and Mother Earth.”

Dastur says she hopes for a smooth reopening of our country and no third wave. “I also wish to see theatres running and shoots resuming in full force,” the actor ends.

Actor Amyra Dastur has a special reason to commemorate National Doctors’ Day, today, for her father, Dr Rohinton Dastur, has had an exemplary role to play in the country’s battle against Coronavirus. A former surgeon, the 67-year-old served as the medical director of a Mumbai hospital and led the situation from the front.

“My father decided to give up surgery at the age of 60, and became the medical director at a hospital in Mumbai. He was going to the hospital regularly during the pandemic, as he was responsible for restructuring the functioning of the hospital, like getting the Covid and non-Covid ward separated,” she tells us.

The 28-year-old is extremely proud of her father, who didn’t let anything, including his age, stop him from stepping out to do his duty, every single day.

“My dad is an absolute hero in my eyes,” she says, adding, “In the beginning, when nobody knew what it was, my mother was very stressed about dad going to the hospital every single day. I also asked why he was going out. I was worried, especially because of his age, as he’d be more susceptible to the virus. But, I remember he told me, ‘If I don’t go, how can I ask my staff and other doctors to come to the hospital?’ He led from the front.”

She reveals that initially, there were moments when her father, too, was scared, as no one knew the severity of the situation or intensity of the virus. “But, despite that fear, he said he needed to make sure that he takes care of patients every day and do his job. For that, I really admire him a lot,” says the Rajma Chawal (2018) actor.

Amyra admits she and her mum have faced their share of panic: “Even if he had a slight cough, my mum and I would freak out. I know a lot of doctors who’ve lost their lives. We are grateful that dad is fine.”

Now, after the second wave and the imminent third wave, the actor hopes the medical fraternity is taken care of. “They’re getting what they need, but at the cost of their lives. I wish we empower our medical infrastructure more and do more for the fraternity,” she concludes.

Having battled Coronavirus in the past year, Amyra Dastur understands the scare people all across the country are dealing with amid this second wave of the pandemic. The actor laments the mismanagement of medical facilities, which is leading to the loss of so many lives on an everyday basis.

“It’s unforgivable. It’s as if lives have no value anymore,” she rues, adding, “We have the second largest population in the world, and we should have the medical infrastructure to support our people in dire times. Reading articles on overworked crematoriums, patients dying due to the lack of oxygen cylinders and hospitals being always too full to admit patients, is plain heartbreaking.”

Dastur, 27, notes that this wave has hit India more than 2020, and calls it “a very scary time”. Though she’s trying to do her bit by helping people via social media, she admits having to go on such platforms to help someone feels “so wrong”. “Facilities should have been there and we should have been prepared for this crisis,” she adds.

That said, she agrees that social media is the only useful option now, to reach out and come to the rescue of as many people as possible. “Presently, the thought is to survive this crisis. People aren’t getting the necessary information they need. They’ve turned to social media because that’s the place left for some help, and even then, trying to find verified leads takes up time and is frustrating,” she points out.

Dastur further shares that she couldn’t bear to watch people feeling so helpless and wanted to help, so she found this to be the “best and safest” way to do her bit.

“It was tough in the beginning. Getting so many DMs and requests for help, I began feeling low because I got more and more [of them] every day. But then, people got back and thanked me saying they got the help they needed. Knowing at least someone managed to get help, motivated me even more. I will keep pushing limits until all the DMs are answered,” concludes the actor, who recently returned to Mumbai after shooting a music video in Kashmir.

Amyra Dastur, who had started working on an upcoming project post the lockdown last year, had to reshuffle her schedule as she tested positive for Coronavirus soon after. Talking about the ordeal and recovery, she says, “I was doing trials with my stylist, and was three days into it, when she tested positive for COVID-19. Soon, I developed a slight fever and tested positive, too. I quarantined myself immediately in the house where I was living alone. For the first three days, I was completely down. I couldn’t move and that was the scariest thing. I was in so much pain as my joints and body ached. After the third day, I began feeling a little better. Once the 14-day quarantine period was over and I tested negative, I resumed shooting.”

Elaborating on those 14 days of being alone, Amyra, who has been a part of films like Kung Fu Yoga and Prassthanam as well as a few web shows, says, “The only two things that kept me sane were my fixation for cleanliness and spending time reading scripts. My mom would send dabbas of food with my driver, who would leave it in the elevator of my building. I would pick the dabbas once the elevator reached my floor.”

Amyra is a daughter of a front-line warrior; her father is a former surgeon who’s now the medical director of a Mumbai-based hospital. With the time that she had in hand last year, Amyra helped her father in whatever capacity she could. “Since the lockdown last year, the work dynamics have changed a lot. I never imagined that we would be shooting from the confines of our homes, or doing auditions through video calls. With free time on hand, I prioritised helping my father with his work. Last year, as his secretary couldn’t travel to work, I took up a few of her responsibilities. I would visit him at the hospital. He would get worried about me and see to it that I don’t visit the COVID ward. A big social media buff that I am, I took up the responsibility of sprucing up the hospital’s social media. I would give him some ideas to shoot in the hospital with the doctors. It was a great experience to spend time with the medical staff, and listen to their stories,” she says.

With the endless hours of work and the challenging times that the medical fraternity faced, the doctors and nurses could do with something that would elevate their spirit. Speaking about it, the Made In China actress shares, “They love Bollywood. Every time a new song comes out, they share cute videos of them dancing to it. I love interacting with them.”

Now with shoots being stalled again, Amyra is helping her father connect with NGOs and charitable organisations. “I have interesting projects lined-up, but till the time shooting begins, I am making the most of my time by helping my father with his work once again,” she signs off.

Amyra Dastur had been shooting for her upcoming web series when the announcement to stall shoots came about. Though worried about the uncertainty looming large, she says that she has happily accepted the lockdown-style restrictions imposed in Maharashtra. “I’ve two perspectives on the move, one as an actor and working girl and the other as the daughter of a doctor who is working on the frontline every single day,” she says.

She adds, “I am definitely saddened by the news. Shoots help me earn my bread and butter and so, seeing the projects I am in, like Dongri To Dubai, being halted in the middle of shooting definitely upsets me.”

Dastur reveals that the current situation takes her back to 2020 and once again. “Looking at my dad stressing out because his hospital has no beds with more and more patients coming in just breaks my heart,” she states.

Vexed at the recent gathering at the Kumbh Mela, she cannot stop expressing her disappointment in people and their tendency to take the pandemic lightly. “People are really not listening and I do not just mean those in Maharashtra. Images of people celebrating Holi in Banaras, the gathering at the Kumbh Mela and political rallies have really angered me,” she says. 

Talking about the need to stay safe and act in a responsible manner, she says, “I understand Maharashtra has insanely high cases and our state is awaiting the restocking of the vaccine. But if the rest of the country acts like Coronavirus does not exist, then it is going to be a never ending cycle of infection.”

Amyra Dastur, who was busy with her Hindi and Telugu projects for some time, is looking forward to her Tamil release, the psychological thriller Bagheera. This is her first Tamil film after six years, and the actress admits she was thrilled when she learnt that actor-choreographer-filmmaker Prabhudheva is the lead in it. In a chat, Amyra, who was seen in the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Prassthanam (2019), talks about her experience of working in the film, takeaways from the Coronavirus lockdown, being vocal about social causes and more. Excerpts:

In Bollywood, he is looked upon as a director and choreographer. It was great to act along with him; his tips on performing based on different camera angles and other technicalities were helpful. There’s a fantasy sequence in the film which has a small dance bit as well. I was actually scared to dance with him. The incredible dancer that he is, I think he’ll make any dancer look bad on screen.

I shifted to my parents’ house during the lockdown. I loved helping my dad, who is a doctor. Like many others, the experience changed me as well. It has made me a simpler person. It has helped me to take life as it comes without any expectations.

There are people who don’t want to react to unjust things that are happening around us and that’s their personal stand. I react whenever I feel something isn’t right, and to react, a person should be knowledgeable about social and political happenings. I’m careful about what I post. Everyone has the right to express their opinion and I’m happy to do it cautiously.

I think the restrictions might create problems in getting more people to make content in India. Cinema is an art and when you start imposing restrictions, we won’t be able to showcase many things to the global audience.

How different does being from Mumbai make you from newcomers who are from smaller towns?
Having lived in a big city like Mumbai, I feel it gives you another personality in a way. Mumbai can eat you up or teach you how to survive because it is a tricky city. I guess living in cities like Mumbai or Delhi makes you slightly more street smart and alert.

Your two Bollywood flicks have not quite worked at the box office. How important is success to you?
I define success a little differently. My dream from day one was to act and stand on my own two feet. I'm literally living my dream after struggling really hard to get here and that in itself is success to me

Who do you see as your biggest competitor? And who are the ones you would like to emulate?
Even though I'm a competitive girl, I don't see competition in this industry because every actor and actress has a unique personality that they bring to their films, which is why they get the parts they get. But, my favourite actress is Kangana Ranaut because I find her extremely talented and her story is truly inspirational, especially for non-industry people like me.

Parsis are known to have a great sense of humour Do you share that quality?
I have a perverted sense of humour as well as a very sarcastic one. I'm a full Parsi, so my family is responsible for my sense of humour.

What is the best thing about being in love?
(Laughs) Your timing is quite impeccable because I just got out of my relationship over a month ago. I guess the best thing about being in love is having that one person who makes you laugh and gives you those butterflies in your stomach whenever you see him. I'm a hopeless romantic that way.

You've worked with three very different co-stars - Prateik, Dhanush and Emraan Hashmi. Do you find any similarities between them?
Prateik and I got along well and he really taught me the do's and dont's in this industry, which I still follow to this very day. Dhanush showed me how to be humble and he is one of the most talented people I've ever worked with. I learnt a lot about expressing while acting just by observing him. Emraan was an absolute riot to work with. I adore his bitchy sense of humour. He made one statement which I won't for get - Don't sell your soul to this industry. I asked him what he meant and he said I'll figure out as I move forward.

Have you ever been stalked?
I wasn't, but my best friend was stopped by a group of kids when he was in Bandra and they all called him 'Amyra's friend' and took a lot of selfies with him. My best friend stole my stalker experience in a way.

Most memorable fan experience?
When I was at the airport with my family on our way to Thailand, I got stopped by a fan who just couldn't remember my name but called me the Issaq girl. It was really funny and sweet.

Do you look forward to interacting with your fans on Follo? Any message or your Follo'ers?
Of course! I am very grateful to my fans for their love and support and all I want to say to them is just have fun and don' take life too seriously. You only live once...

Amyra Dastur, 21, is honest, sensitive and simple. She dislikes confrontation and still carries the remnants of rejection she faced in school, due to her boyish looks. She appears to be dominating but that is more like her defence. Ahead of her upcoming film Mr X, she talks to Bombay Times about her emotionally tough years in Cathedral, why her brother Jehangir is her soulmate and how she is seriously dating a non-industry man. Excerpts:

How did you become an actor?
I am a full Parsi born and brought up in South Mumbai. My mum was an advertising professional till she had me and my dad is a surgeon and is the director of Bhatia Hospital. I went to Cathedral School till I was 13, post which my brother Jehangir (who is a year younger to her) and I were both packed off to a boarding school in Pune, so that we could learn to behave ourselves as we were both very naughty. Over one of the weekends, I was at a friend's house there, when I was trying to get through to my mother, but she did not answer. I got so irritated that the next thing I knew was, that I had smashed my wrist into a glass table in front of me and damaged my wrist very badly. That's how angry I used to be as a kid. So, I had to be rushed back to Mumbai as my dad wanted to do the surgery in Mumbai and after that I was rushed off to England for physiotherapy, as my uncle is a doctor there. I was moved back to Mumbai into Dhirubhai Ambani school, but lost a year as I could not write for nine months, so I had to drop a class. I always wanted to be an actor and started modelling for various commercials when I was 16 and when I was in Class XII, got Issaq through auditioning. I had to decide between doing Issaq and continuing school and I chose Issaq. We know what happened with Issaq, but I got a call from Mukeshji (Mukesh Bhatt) for Mr X. I sat with Bhatt sahab for 45 minutes and he found a lot of similarity with the girl's character in Mr X and me in real life. I met Vikram Bhatt the next day and was on for Mr X.

You have worked with Prateik, Dhanush and now, Emraan Hashmi. Who did you connect the most with?
Emraan is damn funny, has the bitchiest sense of humour and is very sarcastic. He is not fake at all and is a very real person. Dhanush is the most humble person to work with. If he likes you, he will be really nice to you and if he doesn't, be careful as he would then take your trip. But it's normally very difficult to piss him off, as he is a very nice person. I connected the most with Prateik, as we were of the same age. He has the shortest temper. And while we were friends, we have now drifted apart and are not in touch.

Are you seriously dating anyone right now?
Yes, but no one from the industry.

Does marriage figure in your life?
Not before 30. That's why I love my mom as she wants me and my brother to live our lives and get married only after 30. Dad came from a very poor family and he made it on his own, working really hard. He paid all his medical education loans off even before we were born. He takes pride in that and he is literally a self-made man. He was worried about me wanting to become an actress, as he knew that it would mean a lot of struggle and he would not be able to help me. But my mum was the one who told me to drop my education when I got Issaq. I asked her what she would do and she said, 'Just drop it as it is your dream.' Even though my mom's parents were loaded, they were never supportive of what she wanted to do. I am not a big fan of my mum's side of my family, as they are very snobbish. They wanted her to do what they wanted and not what she wanted. She always says that I will never be like my mother and with me, I always say that I want to be a mother like my mother. She has been there with me through everything. She has given me and my brother a chance to do what we wanted to do and not what she wanted us to do.

Who do you love the most in the world?
My brother Jehangir. He is now becoming a chef and is one of my best friends. He was with me ever since I opened my eyes. He is my other side. I am more protective and possessive about him, more than he is about me. He likes the fact that I don't take shit from anyone and that I am really funny, goofy funny. I don't mind behaving unladylike and have this habit of saying the stupidest crap at the worst time. I was a short kid, my height kicked in only when I was 16. Because me and my brother were best friends, I would dress like him and behave like him. I had really short hair and buck teeth with braces. I looked like a boy. I was happy with myself, but other kids would bully me to an extent that I would just come home and cry. I would just switch on my TV and a good English movie was my escape. Movies inspired me. I loved movies. I was also fantastic in my studies. Jehangir has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Basically, he was a hyperactive kid and his concentration does not last for more than 15 minutes. His intelligence is insane, just that he does not have his concentration span. I would never cry in front of the other kids, but I would go in the loo and cry and became an angry kid. And that is why I misbehaved a lot with my mother. It was only when I went to boarding school, when I shared the room with two older girls and saw how they treated me like a girl, wanting to dress me up, that I started feeling like a girl.

Are you anxious?
After Issaq, I feel anxious about every film I do now. I remember I saw Issaq on the opening night and I was shattered. It was not that it was a good film and that it did not do well, it was not a good film. Within the first five minutes of seeing it, I knew it was not going to be nice. I had my whole family there luckily, but it is hard when at the end people start that slow clap, you know that it is a pity applause. It was heartbreaking.

Who do you want to work with?
My dream is to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Right from the time I started watching Hindi films, it was his films that I watched. Guzaarish is one of my favourite films.

Did you have a low point in life?
Yes, I am undergoing therapy right now. After this interview, I am going to meet my psychiatrist. I feel very depressed at times. Talking to my therapist helps me if something is upsetting me. I overthink everything. Last year, I developed a fear of flying. It reached a point that I would literally get panic attacks on the plane. I would start sweating, my hands would become ice cold and I couldn't breathe. It was linked to a fear of failing.

How much does a therapist charge?
They meet you for an hour and charge you anything from Rs 2,000-4,000 for a session.

Who is your emotional anchor?
My brother who is more rational than I am and my best friend. I cannot go to my mother, as she will panic.

Did you feel scared going to a therapist?
I did feel scared in the beginning, but not now. They are bound by law and can lose their licence if they divulge your details. Luckily, they are very professional. I do feel comfortable going to mine, as she gets to the root of the issue and at least I know what is troubling me.

What does this word depression mean?
It means that it is a struggle getting out of bed every day. You wake up feeling that life is so monotonous. And so, while at times, you may feel good to go, at times you don't. Happiness seems temporary when you are under depression. And if you don't help yourself, it can get on to full-on depression, where you can sit in your house and just chill and not do anything.You isolate yourself as you don't want to see anyone and feel upset about life. Right now, I am just happy if I can get through my day without feeling sad or upset.

Where is that core of rejection coming from?
That has to be from high school. Can you imagine I have no friends from Cathedral? And that was till I was 13. Everyone made fun of me while I would just sit there. I have never been a confrontation person so would never attack back. Jehangir was a year younger and he too was made fun of, as he too was suffering from ADD. Them making fun of us made us both stronger and closer to each other. We would sit in the bus together and would always be together. That's what made him understand me. He understands me better than anyone, as he has seen me through everything.

Are you stubborn?
Very, but that is when I know I am right. I am also very honest. Being in the industry, I am now aware that things inside are so different than what it seems from outside. People really say something and mean something else. Don't pretend to like me if you don't. That's so high school. That's what this industry is, so high school.

With great candour, Emraan Hashmi admits he'd like to rob a bank were he to become invisible. With greater candour, he admits there might be something about his face that makes filmmakers repeatedly cast him as a law-breaking conman. In a chat with us during his recent visit to our office with co-star Amyra Dastur, the Mr X actor says he's hoping people appreciate the 'shareef ' side of him in upcoming films. Excerpts from the conversation:

How hard was it shooting the `invisible' scenes in Mr X with one person absent, especially for you, Amyra?
Amyra: There was no one. Nothing. Air. And water! Which I choked on - it was quite funny. In (the filming of the song) Tu Jo Hai - that (the invisible man) is completely CG. There was no one there, no green suit or anything. They gave me a point, like a red tape, in the water tank, and we'd planned out the shot - I'd swim down, look at the mark, close my eyes and get into the kiss. When that happened for the first time, I just glugged back a lot of water, and when I came up, I was coughing and you could see water coming out of my nose. It was really ... beautiful shot though - we got it right when I figured out how to hold my breath properly .

Was it excessively hard to be responding to an absence?
Amyra: It was really hard because this isn't generically acting, it's reacting. It's easier when - especially during an angry scene - it's easier to have him (Emraan) yelling back at me. That way my reaction becomes more real. Rather than just yelling at no one, we'd have the AD (assistant director) read out his lines and create the same kind of emotion. But each time, we shot with Emraan first, so at least I knew how high I have to go to get that same kind of feeling.

How about you, Emraan? Did they hook you up to electrodes?
Amyra: Oh, he wore the green suit once and then decided to never do it again!
Emraan: No, I come and go, because the concept is that he's seen in blue light, neon light, in direct sunlight, so many of the sequences were shot with me. But then, in portions where I'm not supposed to be there in the shadows, there was another person, a double, in a green suit. I didn't have to be in it. I wore the suit once to make Amyra happy, she wanted to have some laughs...
Amyra: I didn't want anyone else to carry me (in a sequence where the invisible man is carrying her in his arms).
Emraan: Some of the sequences, yes, where I was not there for, like, 30 seconds, were shot completely with the guy in the green suit, and then I could go shopping in Cape Town or go somewhere for dinner or do my own thing. It's good, actually, to do a film where you're invisible.

In real life, if you were to be invisible, what would you like to do?
Emraan: Unethical things or ethical things? I'll start with the unethical things. Some of them I can't talk about - the mind is, er, going into a lot of areas - but rob a bank, that's something I've always wanted to do, it's been my childhood dream. I've thought about it a lot, I've planned it all out in my head, but it hasn't happened. Robbing Mukeshji (Mukesh Bhatt, his uncle and the producer of Mr X) would also be fun, but there's probably more money in the bank. The other would probably be copying in my exams in school. Then, going to places I couldn't go when I was below 18 - sometimes abroad you can't get into clubs... and some other places also.
Amyra: I'd slap a couple of people I've been meaning to slap for a while - haven't you dreamed of slapping that one person without getting caught? I'd spy on a couple of people too.

The film reminds one a lot of Mr India...
Emraan: The similarity starts and ends with the invisibility. There's nothing else in common. I know the screenplay of Mr India - I loved it, I think Shekhar Kapur made a fantastic film. It's very well done, very high-concept for its time. As a kid, I saw it at least 15 times. But the story is completely different. This character is slightly darker. He's not the quintessential superhero. I wouldn't really put it into that zone in this first film. And you can see him (Mr India) in red light - our thing is slightly different. But the love story and the entire theme is different.

You've said you want your son to watch this film. No matter how complicated or dark a character Mr X is, there must be something positive at the end of his journey, or you wouldn't show it to your son...
Emraan: Yes. Every film has to have - especially if it's for a family audience, kids - it has to have a positive end. It has to sum up - morally, it has to somewhere seem right and there has to be some redemption for the character. For this character also, there is redemption, you realise his point of view. You might not see his point of view through the film, because if I had to make an observation and connect any other superhero film, they still don't go into the darker zone. In Spiderman, there is the Black Spiderman who is the villain. Mr X is that character, he is the guy who wouldn't mind putting a bullet into someone's head. But that changes because of love. He becomes a cold-blooded murderer, but there's still a side of him that is human, that still loves the woman.

Why should one go and see Mr X?
Emraan: I think for the experience. I have grown up watching films like Chhota Chetan, which was this great 3D experience with spectacular VFX. There's the invisible man, it's high-concept. These things I guess are a more immersive experience. Even if it's not in 3D, you will love the journey of this invisible man. You will realise it when you see a film like this, the way he gets back at these people when he's invisible is a lot of fun. Apart from that, another philosophical take like any other superhero film is that it's the story of a phoenix, a person who overcomes his limitations. His hurdle is invisibility in the beginning, he lives with the trauma. He doesn't shrug it away, he rises above the moment and becomes a hero at the end of it. Narrative-wise, it is a very gripping story.

Murder's done 11 years this year, which means you are about as old as that in the industry. Are you where you wanted to be in 11 years?
Emraan: You know, I don't know how people answer (this). I will be honest. For me, it's a struggle. You are just happy to get the next film or you are happy your film is a hit. You just make the most of it and move on to the next thing. Obviously, somewhere there's this very vague idea of where we kind of want to see our life. But it's a blurry picture. In the beginning, it was just getting the stuff you want and not thinking too much about it, just doing it. But then you start realising, I have done this. Let's try something else. There are small goals that you set for yourself as an actor every year, every two years, every five years, those keep changing. Now the goal for me would be reinvention. Post Mr X, in Hamari Adhuri Kahani, in Azhar, hopefully you will see an Emraan that you have never seen before in the 10 years you have seen me.

In this journey, have you ever thought that people prefer to see you as a bad guy, or a naughty guy?
Emraan: All the time! But the thing is, the audience doesn't know what they want till you give it to them. They'll keep thinking that this is what they want till suddenly the right film at the right time comes along, and they wake up and say, 'Oh! We've never seen him this way, and we like this also', I am waiting for that to happen. They've seen me in these devious characters. He's always the bad guy who breaks the law. There's something in my face that says criminal, devil, will-break-the-law, drug dealer, or gun runner, or bookie (laughs). I won't talk about this right now, but there's this shareef guy that you will see soon this year. It'll probably be a victory on my part if I play that convincingly. Mr X is still in the grey zone. It has technical wizardry and VFX, but he's still an outlaw kinda guy.

Amyra, why did you choose this as your second Hindi film?
Amyra: In Issaq, I was playing a Banarasi village girl, and here I am playing a sort of cold-hearted girl. It's completely different and I wanted to show some versatility. The good thing is that this will prevent me from getting stereotyped in my career and that is exactly what I want.