Emraan Hashmi: Was in touch with Rishi Kapoor during his treatment

As The Body gears up for release after almost a year's delay, Emraan Hashmi on how the team prioritised Rishi Kapoor's health above all else

At a point during our chat with Emraan Hashmi, we ask him about Rishi Kapoor, his co-star in The Body. Is the senior actor as angry on set as he is on social media? "Far from it. I had the same perception based on his Twitter [feed], but he is a sweetheart," laughs the actor.

It is evident that Hashmi has grown fond of Kapoor in the course of making the thriller. The Jeethu Joseph-directed movie was slated to hit screens last year. However, that was not to be as the senior actor had to head to New York for his treatment. "I was in touch with Rishiji during his treatment. So, I knew it would take some time. I have had a similar tragedy in my family, although the cancer was different. I knew it was treatable, more so because Rishiji was strong. The makers patiently waited for him. It wasn't like anyone was thinking about the delay. Money was riding on the project, but everyone was forthcoming."

Hashmi believes that the film — an adaptation of the 2012 Spanish hit by the same name — is one of the most gripping scripts to have come his way. The actor was the first to hop on board the project. "The producers asked me to watch the Spanish film. [After seeing the movie], I knew I had to do it. This film is unpredictable. The director [Oriol Paulo] has also made The Invisible Guest, on which Badla was based. I choose films based on my gut feeling, and I had a strong instinct about this one."

Up next is Chehre that sees him working with Amitabh Bachchan. What has been his learning after working with two legends in a span of a year? "Their commitment to the craft [is unmatched]; they sit and rehearse with us. There are actors half their age who directly land up on the set."

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