The conventional item numbers are very boring: Emraan Hashmi

Emraan Hashmi is all set to grove to item songs but on one condition: it has to be unique and different from the rest.

“The conventional item numbers are very boring. I don’t like the way they are presented. I will do something different,” he told. He also added jokingly, that if Dibakar Banerjee, his Shanghai director will cast him in an item number, he will take it up on the spot.

Shanghai has changed people’s perception Emraan Hashmi.

“‘Shanghai’ de-constructed perception that people had about me. A new Emraan Hashmi has been showcased. After this whatever role I play, it should be as unpredictable as this. I want to surprise the audience,” he said.

The actor also told, “‘Shanghai’ is very different. We have made a film which breaks convention.” Though the film did not start on a great note, Emraan says, “but the jump we got, the response I got on SMS and everything is a win-win situation for the entire team. This film needs your support so that more films like ‘Shanghai’ can be made.”

Emraan is a very resourceful actor. He doesn’t want to be tagged in a particular role.

“I want to be an actor who pitches his films to everyone. We know there is a divided audience. Some actors are safe and cater to one particular set of audience. But I really respect Dibakar for making a film like ‘Shanghai’. He took the risk of making something totally different. The praise that I have got for Jogi Parmar, I have hardly ever heard such praise in my career. After ‘Shanghai’, I would want to do more films like this,” he told.

And what about those who did not like the film?

Emraan told, “You can’t please everyone. You will have people who love your film and detractors as well. In this case, they haven’t understood the film….”

Hazel Keech loves to do item numbers!

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech

Hazel Keech and Sonu Sood

Bollywood's usual latkas and jhatkas aren't everyone's cup of tea. But for British-Indian actress Hazel Keech, who has grooved to an item number in an upcoming film, it was as easy as brushing her teeth.

"I am a professional dancer, so picking up dance steps was like brushing my teeth," Hazel said.

The actress, who played the boyfriend-snatching best friend of Kareena Kapoor in blockbuster "Bodyguard", will now be seen shaking a leg in an item number in Kabeer Kaushik's movie "Maximum".

A sneak peek of the film will soon be showcased at the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend and awards, to be held in Singapore June 7-9.

The film's lead actor Sonu Sood went to great lengths to acquire the Hindi rights of the Tamil chartbuster for the movie.

"'Aa ante' was in Malayalam and Tamil. It's just that the words are in Hindi now and the singer is the same. It is a very energetic song filled with complete nautanki and masala," told Hazel.

The 24-year-old was born in Essex in north-east London, to an English father and an Indian mother. She started her acting career at a tender age of 12 with small roles in Hollywood films, and has even worked in three editions of "Harry Potter" series.

She is pleased with Bollywood's warm welcome, but tells her struggle here has also taught her a lot of lessons.

"Bollywood has taught me a lot of lessons. Sometimes it has been very hard, but every struggle and obstacle that I overcame, made me stronger and made me more aware," she told.

"Some people in the industry have been very welcoming and warm and I am lucky to have met such nice people. Others have taught me lessons. The lessons are just like the ones you learn when you grow up -- don't trust whoever you meet and don't take everybody's advice. Sometimes some people don't want you to do well, but it's fine as such is life," further added Hazel.

She never decided which industry she should join, but feels fate brought her to India.

"I hadn't made up my mind whether I had to do Hollywood or Bollywood films because I loved both and I grew up on both. So I am glad that Bollywood chose me. I've been to India before on holidays and what brought me and kept me is, I feel, destiny," told Hazel, who has also worked in Tamil movie "Billa".

She tells the southern industry is more organized than Bollywood, and admits that her Tamil film was more challenging as speaking Hindi for "Bodyguard" was easy.