Popular Indian actor Emraan Hashmi's role as Shoaib Khan in "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai" was pivotal for his career. The character, inspired by underworld gangster Dawood Ibrahim, initially met with resistance from his uncle and filmmaker, Mahesh Bhatt. 

Bhatt, concerned about the character's irredeemable nature, warned Emraan: "If you play this character, your career will be over."

In a recent interview, Emraan recalled Bhatt's apprehensions. "He warned me, 'While some characters with grey shades are able to redeem themselves, this character will change people's perception of you overnight,' he said to me". Despite these concerns, Emraan took the role.

Following the film's release and its success, Bhatt acknowledged his mistake and apologised to the director, Milan Luthria. Emraan recounted, "When the film was released and became a massive success, he called Milan and said, 'I am sorry. I was wrong.' He admitted that the film, contrary to his initial thoughts, was entertaining rather than dark."

The film's unconventional climax, where the protagonist Sultan Mirza (Ajay Devgn) is killed and Shoaib Khan ascends to power, was a significant risk. Emraan noted, "The hero of the film is killed and Shoaib begins to rule the city. It was quite different from other films. Ajay died and my character was an anti-hero. Bhatt saab was sceptical about the ending too. He was not sure if the audience would like it."

"But in our industry, only when you take a risk, you can see success. Formula seldom works in our industry," he added.

"Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai" (2010) is a neo-noir crime thriller written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. The film features Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai, and Randeep Hooda in pivotal roles.

Read more

‘Maharaja’ is a new experience in non-linear storytelling