KISSING A SNAKE WAS BETTER THAN EMRAAN: Mallika - Page 3

When Murder became a hit Mallika told everyone who cared to listen that she and ONLY she was responsible for its hit status. She even said something to the effect that Emraan was being naughty and gave too many takes to kiss her and to do the steamy scenes in the film. After Murder she demanded the Bhatts pay her well for some films she was offered. All this pissed off the Bhatts including Emraan. The war still continues.

Life after Murder

His career may not have got a kiss of life after "Murder" but Emraan Hashmi is ready with "Zeher". Any takers?

Waiting for the sweet success of "Zeher"... Emraan Hashmi. 'IF PEOPLE have liked Murder, they will like this too,' declares Emraan Hashmi, giving his prediction for Zeher released across Delhi this week. It is because Mahesh Bhatt who is the producer of the film and has also co-directed it too, lives up to his brand. He gives a sensitive story and also includes elements that make frontbenchers whistle, believes Emraan. This belief gave him the confidence to play a mature married man of 30, a typical male chauvinist and cop by profession in Zeher. "I am just 25 and in most of my films I played my age only. But in this film I was asked to behave like a matured man, walk like one and gesticulate accordingly. I really worked hard to control my casual body language," says Emraan. "My character in the film is the head of the Narcotics Department in Goa, whose wife (played by Shamita Shetty) is also a cop. He commits mistakes but is always on his ego trip. So he does not own them up. His wife too is an independent woman who needs her own space. An incident takes place, which aggravates the clash of egos between them. No one asks for forgiveness from each other. First half is more of a human relationship story while second half is a dark thriller, a roller coaster ride for my character," informs Emraan. For him changing from a casual man to a matured one was not as tough as "emotional indulgence" in the film for which he took recourse to Bhatt's wisdom tips. No risks Emraan is banking on this film for his "personal success" which is due since Murder. Mention Murder and Mallika and see creases emerge on his forehead; creases that form because "Mallika took all the credit of its success". "In Murder all the characters were equally important because each one of them makes you form your own opinion of them. Take for example, you dislike Ashmit for not being caring for his wife and Mallika for not being faithful to him. You forgive them also for realising their mistakes. You hate me for playing with her life too. I am the turning point in the film but Mallika went to town declaring that if she had not been in the film it would have flopped and thus hogged all limelight for the success of the film. Unfortunately, there are people who buy such statements. It dampens the spirit. The post Murder experience has left a bitter taste in my mouth," says Emraan. He minces no words saying that it was because of this reason that this time he preferred Udita Goswami to act opposite him in Zeher. But he is working with her again in an untitled film by Mahesh Bhatt. "This film is a take on what channels like India TV are doing. It demonises such sections of media and raises several pertinent questions. And there is Chocolate directed by Vivek Agnihotri, also starring Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. A Chocolate after Zeher? Not a bad beginning this!

RANA SIDDIQUI

I don't care!