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Emraan Hashmi, who is among the many actors born in the family of film stars, recently revealed how the veteran actor and his grandmother Purnima Das Verma didn’t believe in him and was against his acting career. Purnima, who was the first star in Emraan’s family, starred in several black-and-white films as well as played mother to Amitabh Bachchan in the 1973 film Zanjeer. The actress, however, wanted her grandson to take up an alternative career option. In a recent interview, Imran said, “She was scared. She didn’t think I could do acting.”
Explaining himself, Emraan Hashmi, who was influenced by his grandmother to some extent, told in an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, “My grandmother did have a contribution in making me an actor. But, she was also scared. I haven’t spoken a lot about it. I was influenced by her to get into the movies. But, she had seen so much ups and downs in her life that she was scared for me.”
He added, “Sometimes what happens is that you come into the industry, your film gets launched and then audience rejects you over night. And this has happened to a lot of people. She was a little protective about me and was often telling me to look for an alternative career option. However, later, when Mahesh Bhatt said, ‘I believe he can be an actor, I will launch him’ is when she felt at ease. After this, she was finally convinced. She didn’t think that I can be an actor or can act. Mostly because, I didn’t have any such dream as a kid. I didn’t even have the conventional looks, neither was I good at dancing, nor was I extra-talented or achieved any prize during my school days. Hence, my grandmother didn’t believe in me.”
Emraan Hashmi, who was assisting his uncle Mahesh Bhatt on the sets of Raaz, recalled how the filmmaker was the one who launched him in his movie Footpath and believed he could be a hero.
Recalling his acting debut, Emraan Hashmi said, “I often tell people, the profession chose me, I didn’t choose films. I was probably at the right place at the right time. There was an opportunity. Mahesh Bhatt told me that they were restructuring their company and making a film, and that’s when he cast me for Footpath.”
During this time, Emraan also recalled what Mahesh Bhatt had told him. In the same interview, he said, “Mahesh Bhatt was quite clear to me before starting our first film together. He clearly told me that ‘we are not a charitable association. If you won’t be able to act and if the audience won’t like your performance, I won’t hesitate at all to throw you out of the film.’ Mahesh Bhatt always pushes you to the edge, he used to scare us so much, that the person would simply end up learning the skill. He never consoled me. I think that’s exactly what helped me.”
Emraan Hashmi, who wasn’t expecting audience to notice his work in his debut film, was surprised when his character was loved. He recalled having shot for the character for just 7 days. He said, “My schedule was of just seven days for Footpath. However, they (Mahesh Bhatt) were so impressed with my acting that two days later they held a special screening for my grandmother, and told her you thought he couldn’t act, but there is star born in the family.”
Emraan Hashmi, ever since, has worked in several films including Murder, Murder 2, Jannat, Raaz 3, and Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, among others.
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