Actor Emraan Hashmi, who has delivered back-to-back acclaimed performances in Haq (2025) and Taskaree: A Smugglers Web, says the entertainment landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation since he made his debut in 2005. According to him, today’s audiences are far more informed, exposed and demanding about the content they choose to consume.
“Audiences have woken up to such strong content—not just in Indian films and shows, but globally—that you really can’t afford to be average anymore,” Emraan said. He credited the rise of OTT platforms for fundamentally reshaping viewer expectations and raising the bar for storytelling.
“You really have to pull up your socks and do something spectacular for it to work. Average content just doesn’t survive today, and that has pushed actors to constantly challenge themselves,” he added.
Longevity Comes From Conviction, Not Chasing Money
With over two decades in the industry, Emraan says that while several of his films achieved commercial success, he has never believed in pursuing box-office numbers at the cost of artistic conviction.
“I believe one should never work only for money; that’s the worst thing you can do,” he said candidly. “You might fill your pockets for one film, but it could also be the end of your career.”
He pointed out that commercial success is often beyond an actor’s control. “You do films with the best of intentions. Some hit the mark, some don’t—and that’s part of the business. You can’t expect a career to be a constant upward climb. There have to be hurdles and obstacles; that’s where you actually learn.”
Breaking Stereotypes Without Trying Too Hard
With recent and upcoming projects such as Haq, Showtime, and The Bads of Bollywood (2025), Emraan has consistently taken on varied roles. Asked whether he has consciously tried to move away from the ‘serial kisser’ image—a label that once brought him massive popularity but also risked typecasting—Emraan said the shift was never deliberate.
“It was never about consciously distancing myself from that image,” he explained. “If something interesting came my way from that buffet of scripts, I picked it and gave it my best.”
He added that he does not regret the choices he made earlier in his career. “I never tried to break away from that image because it was something I chose back then. Ultimately, it’s your work that stays with you.”
According to Emraan, what has changed over the years is clarity. “You develop a sense of what works for you. You keep moving forward, doing diverse roles, and eventually, the work starts speaking for itself.”