Emraan Hashmi Opens Up His Frustration With The ‘Serial Kisser’ Tag, ‘Bina Wajah Cheezein Daali Jati..’
Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi recently opened up about whether he still feels “annoyed” by the “serial kisser” label that’s often linked to his film career. While the tag initially brought him fame in Bollywood, Emraan admitted that it started to bother him as his popularity grew. Many believed the actor was being ungrateful, but he recently opened up about the reason for his frustration during a conversation with Ranveer Allahbadia on his podcast. He revealed that there was a time in his career when the label that initially brought him fame began to irritate him. He wanted to be seen as a serious actor, not just defined by that early image. Reflecting on that phase, Emraan shared:
“A large part of my career 2003 to 2012, is chhavi ko is tarah nichoda gaya tha ki wo ek label ban gaya tha, wo marketing main istemaal kiya jata tha. Har film main bina wajah cheezein daali jati thi. Aur media mein bhi jab aata tha ek tagline, toh mere naam se pehle wo tag aata tha – Serial Kisser.”
Emraan expressed his discomfort with filmmakers adding kissing scenes solely for him, even when they didn’t fit the script. The 46-year-old actor shared that he tried multiple times to break away from that image. However, his audience still expected him to take on similar roles, which made it challenging. That said, he doesn’t hold any major grudges about it and has a pretty laid-back attitude overall. He said:
“You try to do different films. But then, people used to be like, ‘accha, isme toh yeh nahi tha’. I am presenting something new. I am an actor. It is my job to play different characters. Why do you want to see the same again? Because of this, I used to get a little annoyed. But otherwise, I am chill about it. I do not have many issues with it.”
Emraan Hashmi Admits He Capitalised on His ‘Serial Kisser’ Image in the Early Years of His Career
In an earlier interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Emraan Hashmi admitted that he doesn’t hold the audience responsible for labeling him as a ‘serial kisser.’ He acknowledged that, up until 2009, both he and his film producers actively promoted that image. Emraan noted that it became a distinctive and convenient way for people to recognize him, ultimately contributing to his early success. The actor said:
“I don’t blame the audience. A large part of my career until 2009, 7-8 saal tak, woh image thaa mera joh producers sell kar rahey the. Mai khud sell kar raha tha. I don’t know what it is. I think that it is a label or an identification with an actor, and it becomes an easy-peasy identification for them.”
On the professional front, Emraan Hashmi hails from a film-oriented family, with his uncle, Mahesh Bhatt, encouraging him to enter the film industry. He began his career behind the scenes as an assistant director on the 2002 film Raaz. That same year, he made his acting debut with Footpath. He rose to fame with a string of successful films, including Murder, Zeher, Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Kalyug, Aksar, and Gangster. A major turning point came in 2008 with Jannat, which showcased his talent and opened the door to more unconventional roles in films like The Dirty Picture, Murder 2, Jannat 2, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, and Shanghai. Most recently, Emraan appeared in Karan Johar’s web series Showtime.
