Emraan Hashmi reveals why he agreed to do 'Mr. X'

Emraan Hashmi

Have you seen 'Mr. X' and how would you rate the film?
Well it's a film that needs to be seen to be experienced, when the VFX the 3D its very difficult to get a feature film like this it's almost like a new animal in the zoo with the content, with the invisible man something that has not been done before. The last film was in the 80s. So people have really not sensed that what we are doing, is it a horror film or is it about ghosts, there's an invisible man and how has he gone invisible. It needs to be seen in the cinema hall with the effects with the sound with the 3D glasses. It's quite a joy ride for our cinema. These kind of films set the foundation for what eventually could come out of this. It can't compete on a budget level to say to a Hollywood film because they have a wider audience, but we are trying to amp up to what we can do with this. It's deeply entrenched in our culture is what I liked. There's a story of resurrection, there's Krishna Arjun in the film, divine connect which I find interesting.

Emraan Hashmi. Pic/Bipin Kokate

How would you rate the VFX?
For our audience and for what we have done so far I would rate it pretty good. For what we have achieved they have worked really hard and have worked for almost a year on the VFX and trust me it's not easy. You know you don't have reference for this. There's an invisible man and there are 1000 things, which you could do with an invisible man flickering with light situations is what he is because he becomes invisible. He can be seen in direct sunlight or neon lights so when he passes these pockets of shadow he almost flickers. Now that flickering image could be anything, so rendering takes a lot of time, to crack it takes even more time. When there's some other sequence that there is smoke on him or there is paint thrown on him, the physics of the paint and the smoke change and it has to be as realistic as it can. So I think they have done a pretty good job.

Were you involved in the editing of the film?
I don't come for the edit at all, I come in the final stage when it's done to see the final print. I might have my take on the edit and I can suggest that this is probably what could be done to enhance it.

So did you have a take on the edit in this film?
No, see the thing is that I wanted to experience this film with the sound and the glasses so it had be way past the edit stage. I finally saw it in a theatre with the sound and I was happy. I didn't have any changes to suggest in the film because I loved what I saw.

What did you think when you were offered the fim, considering not much has been experimented with the VFX etc.
I grabbed it with both my hands. I have seen 'Mr India', 'Hollowman', these films with invisible characters and placing it with contemporary world is fantastic. The script of two lovers going stray and then they kind of become enemies because the ideologies change after this man goes through this traumatic incidence and he becomes invisible. The child in me loved 'Mr India' and to see myself invisible on screen and there is the 'Chhota Chetan' which I had seen in 3D which I loved. That's why I did it.

It's being said this is your first film which is a family entertainer?
Yeah everyone around me has a big smile on their face and they are saying don't make an ''' out of us what are you doing? And this is what I have told everyone-See this is how am looking at it, it has got 3 kisses and there are two without me and we have got a U/A certificate. Now if the kiss is a problem for the family then I would say don't take your kids with you. We don't have a PG 13 here but I would rate the film a PG 13. I am going to show my son the film I am going to cover his glasses when the kiss scene comes. But if you don't want to do that to kids who are 8-9 year old, then I suggest don't take them.

Working for the Bhatts with you is coming back home, has the equation changed over the years. Also having worked outside are you paid as to what you are paid outside considering that the Bhatts are not known to be great pay masters?
That's actually wrong, they have paid me my market share. Because I guess they don't pay newcomers and I have also been in that phase where I was a newcomer and I didn't get much money. But I wouldn't have probably got much money outside either. But after you have established yourself and you can make a film work then they give you a fair share. But I guess everytime they have worked with newcomers, they have gone out and said that they weren't much. Haha!

But your equation changed over the few years?
Its been the same, it's a family unit but we keep it professional. No one is doing any favours here and when I started my first film they said if you are not good you will be chucked and its not that I got a grand launch, I was a supporting actor in my first film. So, yes, in a way they have nurtured and given me these films but then you have to live up and that's what is important.

Your past few films did not do well at the box office, what are your expectations from this film? Do you get into the number game?
I do get into the number game but I don't see the numbers as a benchmark. Yes the producer should recover what ever they have put in, but I don't see the number game being the barometer of success beyond a point. I would sometimes see a 100 crore film as a disaster because it might do that kind of business with the sheer marketing push or music what ever but the films are not liked. Those 100 crores could be made in 60-70 crores so where is the profit margin a the end of it. So everything cant be seen as a the myopic way that oh that film made 100 crores. I would do a film which does business of 30-40 crore and still be proud of it. 'Shanghai' did 30 crore but people still come and tell we loved your performance in 'Shanghai'.

You were working with Vidya for the third time, your first film with her worked well and the second didn't. What do you think works with you and Vidya on screen?
We have had this chemistry in 'Dirty Picture', which people loved. It's not a full blown romantic film but people loved the chemistry. 'Ghanchakkar' didn't have much scope because it was a quirky comedy. This is a great romantic film and specially women will love it. So I think it has pressed the right buttons and something we are proud of and we are eagerly waiting for the release. It's great to work with Vidya again, we didn't get to speak much in 'Dirty Picture', apart from that this film has been great. I don't know if Mohit got stressed out when we kept cracking jokes in between the emotional scenes but we were easy around each other.

Are you going through some intensive training for Azharuddin biopic?
Yeah, am practicing cricket playing 50 overs a day which is very difficult getting into his run rate and score board is next to impossible for me but getting the nuances is something I will be working on. I have stopped working out and doing weights. It requires athletic body so it requires a lot of exercises, running and endurance stuff. So I have started running 5 kms everyday.

There are Emraan Hashmi fans who go to watch the serial kisser Emraan Hashmi will they be disappointed with 'Mr. X'?
No, they wont, they will actually like it. The zone that the film is in and what is promises it sets out. I wouldn't call it a traditional Emraan Hashmi film but its a new kind of zone but I think they will like it.