Emraan Hashmi, known for his breakthrough role in Anurag Basu's 2006 erotic thriller "Murder", has candidly addressed his longstanding label as Bollywood's 'serial kisser'. In a recent podcast with journalist Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube, Hashmi discussed the typecasting that has followed him throughout his career.

Hashmi's portrayal of an obsessive lover in "Murder", marked by several kissing scenes, set the tone for his early career. This led to numerous roles that reinforced this image, earning him the 'serial kisser' moniker in the early 2000s.

"Many artistes get stuck with a certain image, and it becomes a defining part of their careers," Hashmi noted. He drew parallels with other Bollywood legends, mentioning Shah Rukh Khan's iconic arms-spread pose, Salman Khan's trademark shirtless scenes, and Anil Kapoor's famous 'Jhakaas' dialogue.

While acknowledging the label as a form of "easy identification," Hashmi said, "I don't blame the audience. For a large part of my career until 2009, this image was what producers and I were selling."

Reflecting on his role in "Murder", Hashmi remarked that the film's bold and unapologetic content was a "sticking point" in Hindi cinema at the time. "The audience hadn't seen such a bold quotient and rebellious characters back then," he explained.

Hashmi added that his characters often engaged in "unethical activities" and were "tainted," contrasting with the righteous heroes typically seen in Bollywood films.

Despite being typecast, Hashmi's career has evolved. He was last seen in a cameo role in Sara Ali Khan's 2024 film, "Ae Watan Mere Watan". The actor is also set to appear in two upcoming Telugu films, "OG" and "G2".

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