Litmus test for Emraan tomorrow

“If my son Ayan can bounce back from cancer, my bad phase in films seems so trivial. My son taught me that every time life bogs you down, you have to get up,” were Emraan Hashmi’s words to SpotboyE. The actor was asked about his career which has been on a downward spiral since 2012.

That got us thinking further: Could Azhar revive Emraan’s sagging career?

Let’s look at where he stands.


Image Source: pics5

His last hit was Raaz 3 (2012). In the last four years, Emraan had eight flops –

• Shanghai
  
• Rush
  
• Ek Thi Daayan
  
• Ghanchakkar
  
• Raja Natwarlal
  
• Ungli
  
• Mr. X 
  
• Hamari Adhuri Kahaani
  

Of course, if one wants to look for the silver lining, Shanghai got him noticed as an artiste – it also busted the myth that he was nothing more than a kissing machine. Similarly, Ek Thi Daayan and Hamari Adhuri Kahani fetched him praise for being a fine and evolved actor, with a wide range of emotions.


Image Source: twitter/eros

But what Emraan needs right now is a box-office hit – one that can give a boost to his plummeting career.

Director Vikram Bhatt, a distant relative of Emraan’s from the Bhatt clan, insists Azhar will mark the beginning of a golden period in his professional life.


Image Source: twitter/emraanhashmi

“After a fall, comes the rise! There’s no chance his career will dip any further from here. No one can ever shun an actor like him who is so professional, well-behaved, fuss-free and no-nonsense kind,” says Vikram, who is currently working with Emraan on Raaz Reboot.

Azhar, according to trade, is expected to open with at least Rs 5 to 7 crore on day one and fetch at least Rs 30 crore over the weekend, if not more.


Image Source: urbanasian

Ashok Ahuja, a leading distributor, asserts that Azhar, with the kind of expectations riding on it, could change the tide for Emraan. “He needs a great opening. And Rs 6-7 crore is a big one for his film. Salman’s career turned around with Wanted. Azhar could do that for Emmi.”

In his last few films, Emraan opted for acting-driven roles over the highly commercial ones. He also avoided kissing on screen as much as possible. In Mahesh Bhatt’s words on Koffee With Karan last season, “If Emraan doesn’t kiss in the first 10 minutes, the audience gets restless and the film doesn’t work.”


Image Source: twitter/Fox Studios

In the process, the actor lost his connect with the audience. Ahuja points out, “Mr X lacked humour, Shanghai was in the art film space and Hamari Adhuri Kahani was too mature. His audience couldn’t accept him in such roles. They love him for what he does best: romance with a swagger with some power-packed dialogue.”

But a grey area for Azhar is its director, Tony D’Souza, whose last film Boss sank without a trace. However, Komal Nahta, a leading trade analyst, believes that despite the grey areas, the anticipation for the film has not been affected.

“Emraan has proven himself as an actor. What he needs is a commercial hit RIGHT NOW. I think, despite the flops in his career, what has kept him afloat is his track record, dotted with some fine performances and decent collections. He chose films wisely in the last four years, but the content in those films let him down. Hopefully, this time, he won’t face disappointment,” he says.


Image Source: urbanasian

Director-writer Rensil D’Silva, who worked with Emraan in Ungli, echoes Nahta’s opinion. “Ek Thi Daayan, Shanghai and Hamari Adhuri Kahani showed the maturity he can bring to a character. There’s far more to the man than the kisser image. If people can see Azhar in him, he’ll shatter the kisser image forever,” he says.


Image Source: dardark

Emraan’s last big release, Hamari Adhuri Kahani, was helmed by his cousin Mohit Suri and produced by his uncles Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt. Seldom does it happen that Emraan’s collaboration with the Bhatts doesn’t work. Moving forward, Mohit signed younger actors for Half-Girlfriend, his first as a producer-director. However, he promises to stand by his brother who started out with him in showbiz. 


Image Source: twitter/Fox Studios

“Emraan had seen my sensibilities when no one had. I would never have been able to get the intensity I did in Awarapan had it not been for him. I will never disregard Emraan’s contribution to my career. Whenever I have a role for him, I’ll cast him. I don’t care for the tides,” he says.

Rensil too stands by Emraan for his professionalism. Recalling how helpful the Murder 2 star had been when Ungli had to be re-written and reshot following Sanjay Dutt’s imprisonment, he says, “No actor ever turns around and says, ‘Call me whenever you need me. I’ll fly back to shoot.’ For that very professionalism in his genes, Emraan will rise above all the flops and hits in his career.”


Image Source: twitter/T-Series

Standing up for Emraan again, Vikram sums it up, saying, “The only thing that can work against a person like him is bad time and that doesn’t last forever.”

There are only a few hours to go before Azhar’s release. Whether Emraan will be out for a duck or score a six remains to be seen!  


Thumbnail Image Source: twitter/ermaanhashmi