Emraan Hashmi began behind the scenes as an assistant director at his family's Vishesh Films before stepping in front of the camera with Footpath (2003). The noir romance Murder (2004) made him a star and saddled him with the 'serial kisser' tag, but the label obscured a genuine strength: an uncanny ear for chart-topping music and morally grey antiheroes that made films like Gangster, Jannat, and Awarapan cult favourites.

The 2010s brought critical respect to match the hits, with Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, The Dirty Picture, and Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai showcasing his understated craft. Also an author, co-writing a memoir about his son's cancer battle, Hashmi has lately embraced bigger canvases, playing the menacing antagonist in Tiger 3 (2023), the series Showtime (2024), and the BSF drama Ground Zero (2025).

Filmography Highlights

• Murder (2004) — The erotic thriller that made him a star overnight.
• Gangster (2006) — Cult musical crime romance with an iconic soundtrack.
• Awarapan (2007) — Brooding cult classic that grew in stature over the years.
• Jannat (2008) — Cricket-betting drama and one of his biggest solo hits.
• Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010) — Praised as the ambitious smuggler Shoaib in the gangster saga.
• The Dirty Picture (2011) — Part of the National Award-winning hit alongside Vidya Balan.
• Shanghai (2012) — Transformative, de-glammed turn as a sleazy videographer.
• Tiger 3 (2023) — Chilling villain Aatish Rehman opposite Salman Khan.

Image: Wikimedia Commons. Part of the Top 50 Bollywood Celebrities series. Ranking inspired by popular industry listings; profiles are original editorial content.