The baazar was milking his persona . . .

Says Mahesh Bhatt who explains why Emraan Hashmi has no liplocks with his leading ladies in Awarapan

For a change: Mahesh Bhatt

What's Awarapan about?

I won't give everything away. In a nutshell, Mrinalini Sharma plays a girl who is a victim of human trafficking and married to a gangster (Ashutosh Rana).

How Emraan fights for her freedom and locks horns with Rana, who is his guardian, forms the crux of the story.

Why Emraan Hashmi again in your film?

Emraan was dying to be reinvented. He had peaked with Murder and Gangster. But despite his excellent work, his work was still not noticed because he was still doing the same thing — trying to woo some girl who was hooked with another man.

The baazar was milking his persona of the serial kisser dry. We went in for his reinvention, with a firm resolve to demolish his skirt-chasing and sex-hungry image.

Mohit Suri (director) gave Emraan a completely new look. He has worked with tremendous feverishness. Mark my words, Emraan will astound people. The caterpillar has turned into a butterfly.

What about Shreya Saran?

The Indian film industry doesn't have an Indian girl left. They are all made up mannequins from Cosmopolitan and Vogue. Shreya Saran has Indianness.

And Mrinalini Sharma?

Beauty isn't beauty until touched by the pain of life. Mrinalini will bring that. She herself comes from a traumatic past. I think she has had a failed marriage in her real life.

Did she confide in you about her broken marriage?

No. But it was talked and heard about in the unit. When she cries for freedom in the film, you can feel it that it comes from within.

You've brought back Ashutosh Rana from the wilderness?

When you are at the rock bottom, you give your best. You want to regain your lost glory at any cost and have the humility to begin again.

When you are at the top, you are power-drunk, inaccessible, complacent, difficult and a bully. Success is a lousy teacher. It can make the most intelligent people feel that they can never fail.

Look at the duds that Yash Raj films have delivered recently. It comes from the arrogance that they know it all. Sadly, the market gives the successful man a long rope to hang himself. I think that I have answered your question.

What about you? Did you get carried away when you tasted success?

Sure. It happened with me after I repeatedly dished out successful films like Saaransh, Janam, Aashiqui, Sadak, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke.

Then came the Mahesh Bhatt of Tadipaar, Gentleman, Chahat and Duplicate. And then I reinvented myself. I gave up direction and today I am glad that I did that change.

Awarapan clashes with Himesh Reshammiya's overhyped film and Anil Sharma's Apne?

Irrespective of how my Awarapan opens, once a consumer tastes my product, he will tell every other person to go and see it.

I still remember Mukesh was very nervous because our editing took time. But when he saw it, he stood up, clapped and hugged Mohit Suri. Awarapan will move the people.

Which was the last film that gave you a physiological reaction like Awarapan?

Naam, Raaz, Murder, Gangster. Naam, in particular.

Name one outside your banner?

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

How do you rate Awarapan compared to your past films?

Trust me. This is the best film of Vishesh Films till date.

Awarapan releases in Pakistan too?

Yes. On June 29 itself. The doors have been opened. Pakistanis will love the film. An Indian boy Emraan fights for a Pakistani girl Mrinalini, even though he is not involved with her — neither emotionally nor sexually.

Irrfan is miffed with you for speaking on his behalf that his role has been chopped?

I would say that the financial and commercial compulsions compel people to put up with such atrocities.

I did not know what Irrfan told me was for my personal consumption.

I have lived a very transparent life. I thought that the world does exactly that. I think that I had no business to speak for him. I stand corrected.