Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Emraan ups his price to Rs 50 mn, buys a BMW

Emraan ups his price to Rs 50 mn, buys a BMW
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NewsByte on 31 May, 2008 02:38:54
 
The success of Jannat has surprised one and all, including the film's leading
man Emraan Hashmi who has wasted no time in hiking his price from an estimated
Rs 15 million to Rs 50 million.
"Ya, my price has gone up. I won't say drastically. Right now I can quote a
higher price with some justification," said Emraan.
"And why not?" Emraan argues happily. "Equations change every Friday. The sun
has started shining for me. I seem to have had a solo hit at a time when only
Akshay Kumar and the Khans (Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman) seem to be getting the
audiences in," he said.
This is his first hit after duds like The Train, Good Boy, Bad Boy and
Awarapan. There is celebration in Emraan's house.
"I've cut about 15 cakes in the past week. And I've just bought a new BMW. I
was so confident about Jannat that I had it delivered to my home on the day of
its release."
Emraan has even backed out of a film that Warner Brothers was to produce in
association with Tandav Films that made the small budget hit flick Khosla Ka
Ghosla.
Here the actor gets evasive. "I wouldn't like to comment on which project I
backed out from. But yes, we were in serious negotiations. I only had to sign
the contract. But as is the rule in the entertainment industry, they were
waiting to see how Jannat' would perform.
"But now the ball is in my court. Since I'm in a position to negotiate now, why
should I sign the film at a price I was supposed to? They were playing the
wait-and-watch game. Now that they've watched, it's my turn."
Emraan says his price also goes up for his mentors - Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt.
"I haven't spoken to them about my price now that Jannat has done so well. But
they've always been very fair as far as the price goes. We share a professional
relationship first, we're relatives later.
"I only sign Bhatt saab's films when I'm convinced about them. It isn't as if
I've said yes to all his offers. I was picky earlier. I'm being more picky now."
Emraan says he was always getting offers outside the Bhatt camp. "But yes,
after Jannat, the offers from outside are better. This is probably the best time
as an actor for me."
His next release is Raaz 2. "Like Jannat and the earlier films that I've done
with Bhatt saab, it tries something different.
"No one wants to touch the horror genre. It hasn't been explored sufficiently
except in the first part of Raaz that came five years ago. I've again done the
unexpected in Raaz 2. I feel the different will always work. I guess the same
applies to me as an actor. I always go for the unconventional role."
Strangely Emraan has always been working with new leading ladies.
"I don't see that as a burden. I think the audience wants to see me with new
heroines. And yes, I did kiss my heroine in 'Jannat' too though this time it was
more furtive than torrid. If the director feels the kiss has to be shown, I
won't object to a kiss in future either."
Emraan's wife Parveen loved Jannat.
"She's zapped by its success. Suddenly to have your spouse blossom into a
star...it completes our circle of happiness. The prolonged period of failure has
been good for me. It made me realise I wasn't invincible. If people don't earn
money out of you in the entertainment industry, they don't want you. As simple
as that."
Emraan says they were advised not to release Jannat while Indian Premier League
(IPL) matches were on.
"We were warned not to release Jannat with the IPLs. Biggies like Tashan and
Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain on TV had failed. I was very confident about
Jannat. We got a phenomenal opening. The collections have only been going up.
"Eventually a film stands on its own and the promos helped. The past year was
really tough on me. If Jannat hadn't worked, I would have been really
frustrated. I was bitter and angry. So Jannat was a do or die project for me. If
it failed, I had told myself, nothing else will work."