Here’s The Reason Ekta Kapoor Choose Emraan Hashmi Over THREE Khans Of Bollywood

Although, it came as a surprise when Ekta Kapoor picked Azharuddin to make a movie. We all have seen the great working relationship with Emraan Hashmi and he has been part of many of the movie of her production house that includes Azhar. A news outlet asked about why she choosen Emraan for the role.

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She said, “I think Emraan is one of the most amazing actors I have worked with. Bahot ache, umda insaan hai. If anybody with a mass India following could do the role of a controversial yet good hearted cricketer, it would have been one of the Khans or Emraan and so we chose Emraan!”

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Here’s The Reason Ekta Kapoor Chose Emraan Hashmi Over The Three Khans Of Bollywood

In the high-stakes world of Bollywood, a star’s name is often more important than the script. For decades, the industry has revolved around the triumvirate of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan—collectively known as the ‘Three Khans.’ Their star power is immense, their box office guarantee legendary. Naturally, when a big-budget, controversial project like a cricket biopic is announced, the industry anticipates a Khan will headline it.

This is what made producer Ekta Kapoor’s casting choice for the 2016 biographical sports drama, ‘Azhar,’ a masterstroke and a significant talking point. Instead of leaning on the commercial muscle of an established Khan superstar, she went with the ‘serial kisser’ who had redefined the anti-hero image in modern Hindi cinema: Emraan Hashmi.

Ekta Kapoor’s decision was not a financial one, nor was it a sign of disrespect to the biggest names in the business. It was a perfectly calculated creative choice rooted in the fundamental nature of the film’s controversial subject: former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The question became: Why risk a major biopic with Emraan Hashmi when any of the Khans could have guaranteed a massive opening? The answer lies in the dramatic conflict between the ‘superstar brand’ and the ‘flawed hero’ narrative.

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The Movie That Required a Flawed Hero: ‘Azhar’

The film Azhar was based on the tumultuous life of Mohammad Azharuddin, a cricketer celebrated for his elegant batting style and successful captaincy, whose career ended in disgrace amidst a shocking match-fixing scandal. A teaser for the film aptly summarized the core conflict of his life: “Ek Khuda, Do Shaadi, Aur Match-Fixing” (One God, Two Wives, and Match-Fixing).

The biopic was inherently a narrative about a man of great talent who was simultaneously a “hero” and a “villain,” someone who was “worshipped, judged and criticised for 30 years”. To tell this story effectively, the lead actor needed to embody several challenging and often contradictory qualities:

• The Hyderabad Gentleman: Azharuddin was known for his soft-spoken, almost shy demeanour.
• The Cricket Captain: A successful, yet often controversial leader.
• The Anti-Hero: A man whose career ended in a life ban for alleged match-fixing and whose personal life, involving a high-profile marriage to actress Sangeeta Bijlani (while already married to his first wife, Naureen), was highly scrutinised.

The script, therefore, demanded an actor who could command mass appeal while retaining a sense of vulnerability and a reputation for playing morally grey characters. This is where the star power of the three Khans became a creative liability.

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The Creative Clash: Why the Khans Couldn’t Be Azhar

While Ekta Kapoor publicly praised Emraan Hashmi as “one of the most amazing actors” and a “nice person,” stating the role of the “controversial yet good hearted cricketer” was a natural fit for him, the real reason was the baggage the Khans carried.

The cinema of the three Khans is built on a specific, largely non-controversial, and universally aspirational image. Placing any of them in the role of a character whose story centered on a life ban for corruption and a messy personal life would have been a significant risk—or would have required a massive, and likely untrue, whitewashing of the script.

1. Shah Rukh Khan (SRK): The Global Romantic Hero

Shah Rukh Khan’s brand is synonymous with the quintessential romantic hero, the charismatic charmer, and the global face of Indian cinema. By 2016, his films were monumental events that demanded an almost unassailable, heroic narrative.

• The Conflict: SRK’s aura is too large and his screen image too clean to convincingly play a deeply flawed, middle-class Hyderabadi cricketer disgraced by a scandal. His presence would have transformed the complex biopic into a “superstar vehicle,” forcing the narrative to pivot entirely to an exoneration plot, which would risk losing credibility with audiences familiar with the Azharuddin controversy.

2. Salman Khan: The Mass Hero and Philanthropist

Salman Khan represents the ultimate “mass hero” archetype—the selfless, good-hearted man who protects the innocent. His films are celebrated for their larger-than-life action and unambiguous heroism.

• The Conflict: Salman Khan’s fan base expects an inspirational, hero-worshipping film. The idea of him playing a character who is credibly accused of match-fixing goes directly against his carefully curated “Being Human” image. A Salman Khan film about Azhar would, by commercial necessity, have to completely absolve the character of all wrongdoing, turning the biopic into pure fantasy. He also had his own massive sports drama, Sultan, releasing that same year, where he played a clear, uplifting hero.

3. Aamir Khan: Mr. Perfectionist and The Social Crusader

Aamir Khan, known as ‘Mr. Perfectionist,’ is famous for selecting films that are either critically acclaimed social dramas or family-friendly entertainers with an underlying message. While he chooses challenging roles, they are always intended to make an audience think or feel an overwhelming sense of inspiration.

• The Conflict: Azharuddin’s story, which focuses heavily on scandal, divorce, and moral ambiguity, does not align with Aamir Khan’s preference for scripts with a strong, positive takeaway. Even in his 2016 release, Dangal, he played a dedicated, albeit pushy, father who achieved national glory. The Azhar story, which revolves around a ban and controversy, lacked the clear, uplifting ‘socially positive’ theme that often defines Aamir’s biggest box office successes.

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Emraan Hashmi: The Unconventional Anti-Hero

Emraan Hashmi, on the other hand, was Bollywood’s go-to actor for roles that embraced moral ambiguity and the darker side of human nature.

The Anti-Hero Advantage

• Built-in Brand for Controversy: Emraan Hashmi had established a reputation for playing flawed, anti-hero characters in thrillers like Jannat, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (where he played a character inspired by Dawood Ibrahim) and Shanghai. This filmography gave him an inherent credibility to portray a ‘good man gone bad’ or a character with significant personal flaws—a perfect match for Azharuddin’s complex journey.
• The ‘Unbiased’ Pitch: Emraan Hashmi himself stated that the film was an “unbiased biopic” that aimed to neutrally present Azharuddin’s life, including the “flaws” and “mistakes,” without pitching him as an “out and out hero”. This creative goal was only achievable with an actor whose brand didn’t demand an all-out heroic image makeover.
• The Transformation, Not the Star: As an actor known for sincerity and dedication in his roles rather than pure superstar hysteria, Emraan’s focus was on physical transformation, mastering Azharuddin’s distinctive walk, look, and batting style. This focus on realistic portrayal was more suited for a biopic than a star vehicle.

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The Box Office Verdict and Legacy of the Decision

While the decision was creatively sound, its commercial success was moderate. Azhar opened to a decent start but ultimately received “mixed reviews” and performed “average” at the box office, collecting approximately ₹508 million gross against an estimated budget of ₹350 million to ₹380 million. Critiques generally pointed to a weak script and poor storytelling, often suggesting the film tried too hard to “image cleanse” the protagonist, rather than the casting itself.

However, the one element that was consistently praised, even by the harshest critics, was Emraan Hashmi’s performance. He was credited for delivering a sincere portrayal and doing “complete justice to the character,” with Mohammad Azharuddin himself complimenting the actor’s ability to “replicate my mannerism”.

Ekta Kapoor’s choice of Emraan Hashmi was a deliberate and courageous one. It was a choice that prioritized the integrity of a complex, anti-hero narrative over the guaranteed initial business of a superstar vehicle. It proved that for stories rooted in reality and controversy, Bollywood sometimes needs a brilliant actor, not just a brand name, to make the script believable.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: What movie did Ekta Kapoor choose Emraan Hashmi over the three Khans for?

A: Ekta Kapoor chose Emraan Hashmi for the lead role in the 2016 biographical sports drama film, ‘Azhar,’ based on the controversial life of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin.

Q2: What was Ekta Kapoor’s main reason for casting Emraan Hashmi instead of a Khan?

A: Ekta Kapoor stated that the role was for a “controversial yet good hearted cricketer” and that Emraan Hashmi was a better fit than the Khans for this specific kind of flawed protagonist. Emraan’s established on-screen persona of playing complex, anti-hero roles was considered more suitable to portray Azharuddin’s life, which included the high-profile match-fixing scandal and his controversial personal affairs.

Q3: Which ‘three Khans’ are usually referred to in this context?

A: The “three Khans of Bollywood” generally refer to the leading superstars of the 1990s and 2000s: Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. Their universal, heroic, and unassailable brand image was deemed unsuitable for portraying a deeply flawed and controversial figure like Mohammad Azharuddin.

Q4: Did the casting decision for ‘Azhar’ prove to be successful?

A: Creatively, the casting was successful as Emraan Hashmi’s performance was widely praised by critics and audiences. Commercially, the film’s overall box office performance was “average” to “mediocre,” collecting an estimated ₹508 million gross against a budget of approximately ₹350 million to ₹380 million.

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The Calculated Risk: Here’s The Reason Ekta Kapoor Chose Emraan Hashmi Over Bollywood’s Three Khans

In the world of Bollywood, few names wield the financial and cultural weight of the ‘Three Khans’—Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan. When a major film project is announced, especially a high-stakes biopic, the expectation is that one of these three titans will be approached to lead it. Their presence guarantees an unprecedented opening weekend and a global audience.

However, in 2016, a casting decision sent a ripple of surprise through the industry. Producer Ekta Kapoor, a keen observer of audience pulse and market dynamics, announced Emraan Hashmi would play the lead in her biographical sports drama, Azhar. The film was based on the controversial life of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin.

The decision was not just about choosing an actor; it was a powerful statement about artistic necessity trumping star-power. Ekta Kapoor herself explained the choice by drawing a stark contrast. “It is the role of a controversial yet good hearted cricketer, who has the love of masses. Either it would have been Khans or Emraan. We chose Emraan,” she stated.

This simple statement reveals a calculated, strategic move where the demands of the script superseded the allure of a guaranteed blockbuster opening. The question remains: why did the brand of Emraan Hashmi, the ‘Serial Kisser’ turned ‘Unconventional Actor,’ prove to be a better fit than the collective might of the three biggest superstars in the country?

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The Role That Needed an Actor, Not a Superstar

The critical factor in the casting decision was the complex, morally ambiguous nature of the man the film was about: Mohammad Azharuddin.

The Shadow of Controversy

Azharuddin’s life story, while filled with cricketing glory (he was one of India’s most successful captains in the 1990s), had a catastrophic ending on the field. His career came to an abrupt end in the year 2000 after he was implicated in the infamous match-fixing scandal.

• The Allegation: Following a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report, Azharuddin was accused of having close contacts with bookies and being involved in fixing matches.
• The Punishment: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handed him a lifetime ban from the sport, a devastating blow that tainted a phenomenal career.
• The Acquittal: While the ban was a major part of the narrative, it must also be noted that the Andhra Pradesh High Court eventually lifted the life ban in 2012, calling it “unsustainable.”

The film, therefore, was not a simple hagiography. It had to explore themes of fame, failure, personal relationships (his two marriages), and the deep stain of corruption, while maintaining the ambiguity of a “controversial yet good-hearted” protagonist. A performance in such a role required an actor who could project vulnerability, deceit, and an underlying sense of a fallen hero without alienating the audience.

The ‘Three Khans’ and the Brand Barrier

The Khans—Aamir, Shah Rukh, and Salman—are not merely actors; they are multi-million dollar brands built on decades of carefully curated public images.

• Shah Rukh Khan (The Global Romantic): SRK’s brand is rooted in romantic idealism and aspirational success. He epitomises the charming, slightly vulnerable hero. Taking on a role where the protagonist is officially banned for match-fixing—a betrayal of national trust—would be a monumental risk to his core image. His high fees and the expectation of a massive-scale production also would have inflated the budget beyond the scope of a hard-hitting biopic.
• Salman Khan (The Mass Entertainer): Salman’s films are centered on his persona of the benevolent, infallible superstar who delivers clean-slate entertainment. He is often quoted as saying he prioritizes being an ‘entertainer’ over just an ‘actor.’ The audience expects a certain kind of larger-than-life heroism, which would have clashed with the nuanced, and at times dark, portrayal required by the Azharuddin script.
• Aamir Khan (The Perfectionist): Aamir is known for his deep immersion in a role (e.g., Dangal) and his insistence on creative control and long production timelines. However, the sheer budget and star-power required to accommodate Aamir would have forced Ekta Kapoor to dilute the subject matter or expand the scale, potentially compromising the script’s tight narrative focus on Azhar’s personal journey and its controversies.

For Ekta Kapoor, the equation was simple: the Khans’ monumental star-power would inevitably overshadow the character, turning a complex biopic into a Khan-vehicle, thus jeopardising the authenticity of the story.

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Emraan Hashmi: The Unconventional Leading Man

Emraan Hashmi, on the other hand, brought a unique set of advantages and a history of successful collaboration that made him the perfect fit.

1. The Right Image for Ambiguity

Emraan Hashmi’s career, particularly his work in the 2010s, was characterized by his willingness to play morally ambiguous, complex, and often darker characters.

• The Balaji Partnership: He had a strong and successful working relationship with Ekta Kapoor and Balaji Motion Pictures, having delivered critically and commercially successful performances in non-conventional films like Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010) as the narrator and The Dirty Picture (2011) as the cynical film director Abraham, and the supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan (2013). This shared history meant trust and an understanding of the production’s vision for unconventional narratives.
• The Risk Taker: Hashmi had already established himself as an actor willing to take risks and experiment with genres, moving away from his initial ‘serial kisser’ image to become a credible leading man in serious dramas like Shanghai (2012), for which he earned a Filmfare nomination. His profile fit the requirement of a character who was neither a straight hero nor a straight villain.

2. Commitment to Physical and Behavioral Authenticity

A biopic is only convincing if the actor physically embodies the subject. Emraan Hashmi underwent an intense and meticulous transformation that demonstrated a commitment an actor of the Khans’ stature rarely undertakes.

• Mastering the Mannerisms: Emraan spent considerable time observing Azharuddin to adopt his specific body language. He had to learn the cricketer’s distinctive walk—with his right shoulder down and head slightly tilted.
• The Four-Inch Challenge: Mohammad Azharuddin is significantly taller than Emraan Hashmi. To bridge this height difference on-screen, Emraan revealed he had to wear an almost four-inch sole inside his shoes throughout the shoot.
• The Authentic Look: The transformation also included attention to minute details like the hair (combed to give a receding hairline impression) and even his ears, with the actor using clips to make his ears “jut out” to match Azharuddin’s physical features.

This level of dedication to portrayal—focusing on minute details to disappear into the character—is the hallmark of an actor prioritizing the craft over their own star image. Ekta Kapoor needed the audience to see Azharuddin, not Emraan Hashmi, which is why she chose the actor willing to shed his persona entirely.

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Conclusion: A Triumph of Character over Commerce

Ekta Kapoor’s choice of Emraan Hashmi for Azhar was a testament to the idea that for certain, complex roles, an actor’s willingness to embrace controversy and transform is more valuable than a superstar’s box office guarantee.

By explicitly stating, “Either it would have been Khans or Emraan. We chose Emraan,” Kapoor clearly framed the decision as a strategic pivot. She sought an actor who could carry the emotional burden of the role—the rise, the fall, the scandal, and the eventual acquittal—without the burden of a mega-star brand and its commercial baggage. Emraan Hashmi’s background in unconventional cinema and his demonstrable commitment to physical authenticity made him the calculated, perfect risk for a film that hinged entirely on the credibility of its central performance.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: Which movie did Ekta Kapoor choose Emraan Hashmi over the Khans for?

A: Ekta Kapoor chose Emraan Hashmi over the Khans for the 2016 biographical sports drama Azhar, which was based on the life of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin.

Q2: What was Ekta Kapoor’s main reason for choosing Emraan Hashmi over the three Khans?

A: Ekta Kapoor’s main reason was that the role required an actor who could embody a “controversial yet good hearted cricketer” without their personal brand overshadowing the character. She stated that Emraan Hashmi was an “amazing actor” who was better suited for the complex, morally ambiguous nature of the biopic, which touched upon Azharuddin’s life ban due to match-fixing.

Q3: Why were Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan unsuitable for the role of Azharuddin?

A: The three Khans’ star brands are largely built on a mass-appeal, ‘clean’ superstar image, and their presence would have required an unfeasible budget and might have compromised the film’s controversial narrative. The role of Azharuddin, who was banned for match-fixing, required an actor like Emraan Hashmi who was already known for taking on unconventional and complex, morally grey roles and was willing to undergo significant physical transformation.

Q4: What physical preparation did Emraan Hashmi do to play Azharuddin?

A: Emraan Hashmi underwent extensive preparation, including:

• Wearing four-inch soles inside his shoes to match Azharuddin’s height.
• Using clips behind his ears to make them jut out for a closer resemblance.
• Meticulously practicing Azharuddin’s specific body language, such as his walk (right shoulder down, head slightly tilted) and his batting style.

Q5: What other films did Ekta Kapoor and Emraan Hashmi work on together before Azhar?

A: Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures and Emraan Hashmi had a successful prior collaboration on several non-mainstream films, including the acclaimed underworld drama Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010) and the award-winning biographical drama The Dirty Picture (2011).