Ranveer Allahbadia talks about friendships with Emraan Hashmi; Actor claims misuse of friend word in industry

Emraan Hashmi, currently promoting his upcoming film "Ground Zero," recently shared his candid thoughts on the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, highlighting the illusion of friendships in Bollywood. In a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia on his YouTube show "TRS," Emraan opened up about how fame and failure revealed the true nature of his relationships in the film industry. When Ranveer was discussing his own experiences of the past three months, referencing the "India's Got Latent" controversy, Emraan simply stated, "Everyone knows it."

When your chips are down, you really find out who your true friends are. Everyone else quietly slips away. And then you’re left with the people who truly matter. They are the ones who support you when you’re down. Those are your real friends

- Emraan Hashmi

He then spoke about the glamorous image often associated with Bollywood, and how many connections are built on convenience rather than genuine feelings. “This word ‘friend’—it’s one of the most misused terms in our industry. The people you party with, who come into your life just to get something from you—those are need-based relationships, not real friendships. That’s also part of the glamour," Emraan explained.

Looking back on a challenging period in his own career, the actor pointed to the years when his films didn't fare well at the box office. “I’ve been fortunate to ride a successful wave in my career. But around 2018–2019, when a few of my films didn’t work at the box office—that was probably the lowest point for me. Cheat India and The Body, for instance. I’ve seen how the industry serenades you during your high points. At one point, I couldn’t even stand in my living room—it was filled with flowers and gifts on my birthday. But when the tables turn after just one Friday, all of that stops."

He added, “You become a commodity. You start confusing that attention with love. But the truth is—they don’t actually love you. You’re just a means to their end. You are merely a return on the investment they make."

Emraan's next project, "Ground Zero," produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment, is set to release in theaters on April 25.