Emraan Hashmi reflects on the global success of his role as Arjun Meena in 'Taskaree’: 'Didn't expect it

Emraan Hashmi is going through an exciting phase in his career. His surprise cameo appearance in Aryan Khan's ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ went on to garner appreciation. Hashmi followed it up with Neeraj Pandey's 'Taskaree: The Smuggler’s Web’ that earned unexpected global accolades. In an interview, when asked if he feels this is his best time, Emraan Hashmi said he isn’t sure, but it’s an exciting time to play different characters on-screen.

Emraan Hashmi on industry growth and storytelling

In an interview with India Today, the 'Murder' actor clarified how the current phase of his career is not as a personal comeback but as part of a bigger shift in the film industry. Hashmi believes the past decade has brought major changes in storytelling, driven by streaming giants like Netflix and the growing scale of theatrical films. Reflecting on this, Hashmi said, “I think we’re going in the right direction. It’s a great time for any actor or creative person with the kind of material that’s out there”.

Emraan Hashmi calls ‘Taskaree’ a dream project

For Hashmi, 'Taskaree' turned out to be a project that offered everything he could hope for. “When the script was offered to me, it was an actor’s dream,” he shared, adding that the world of the show was “novel, unheard of, unseen on screen”. “We were hoping it would do very well in the country. I didn’t expect it to go global,” he admits.

Emraan Hashmi on his viral cameo appearance

Talking about ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, Emraan shared, “It was a two-day cameo. We were just enjoying the scene, and it blew up. No one expected that.” Reflecting on his current phase, he said it isn’t driven by any strategy but by sincerity. “As an actor, you just do your job with as much truth and honesty as you can. The outcome isn’t in your hands.”

'Taskaree’s story and success

‘Taskaree’ is a crime thriller that tells a story of power and tough choices in a morally grey world. Emraan Hashmi plays customs officer Arjun Meena, with Sharad Kelkar, Amruta Khanvilkar, Zoya Afroz, Nandish Sandhu, and Anurag Sinha in key roles. Soon after its release, the show reached the number one spot on OTT’s global list. Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”