Howzaat:Emraan hates cricket

There was a time when Emraan Hashmi used to get bored of cricket. So much so that he didn't even have any basic idea about the tournaments in progress or the players in the squad.

Not that the situation has changed dramatically for him even today but the fact is that at the least he has started warming up to the sport, courtesy his role of a bookie in Jannat.

"Frankly, cricket used to bore me. The only matches which I could probably catch for a while were the ones between India and Pakistan and that, too, when they were one day internationals. However, 20-20 is able to catch my attention to some extent," reveals Emraan Hashmi.

"For someone like me who has a short attention span, it is impossible to be sitting in front of a TV for 8 hours and watch 100 overs being bowled. I tend to become quite impatient.

However, with so much glamour and entertainment being a part of the game now, I am considering it all as a masala outing in the offering", quips an amused Hashmi.

Isn't it divine intervention that Jannat is releasing at a time when 20-20 is at its peak?

While all other recent releases are falling like nine pin, Jannat appears to be only film which should keep the box office busy, considering its contemporary theme of cricket and the world of betting and match fixing?

"Of course we never planned it that way when Jannat was being made", Emraan says with an honest tone, "But yes, when it is all working now for us, it couldn't have been better.

We are arriving solo as well which is an added advantage. With films and cricket merging, courtesy 20-20, it should benefit Jannat."

Coming back to 20-20, how does he see it changing the scene of Indian sports?

Hashmi shares his point of view here, "So many people, like me, have already joined the fray while I am sure people, who were diehard one day international followers, have also shown signs of tilting towards the shorter version.

With 20-20 cricket, 50 over match seems like a passé. I think it would be quite difficult for people now to go back to spending their entire day watching cricket." -Joginder Tuteja

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Jannat will be Emraan's Naam" - Mahesh Bhatt

A strange thing is happening to Mahesh Bhatt. After spending years extracting creative juices from real- life all his life, now when the cricket fever has touched an all-time high, thanks to the IPL, producer Mahesh Bhatt plays down the cricketing karma of his new film Jannat.

"The cricketing world is only the wallpaper in Jannat. The cricketing field is the space in which the tale of this risk addict, played by Emraan Hashmi, unfolds. He is a typical product of the 21st century who goes into shopping malls to look for new things to buy everyday. Emraan plays the kind of person for whom the end is more important than the means. He then meets this girl who changes his life. When personal gratification becomes more important than the larger concern, then society is doomed. Emraan plays a character who needs to restrain himself from the acquisitive tendency," opines the man whose cinema has constantly walked the tightrope depicting the worlds of idealism and corruption.

Mahesh admits Jannat goes into match-fixing. "But like I said, it's reflective of the times we live in. It holds a mirror to the conscience of today's youth who believe gratification is the bottomline of existence."

He hesitates in connecting Jannat with present-day happenings in the cricketing world. "Incidents like Bob Woolmer's suspicious death were at the back of my writers' heads. But to say that Jannat replays incidents from the cricketing world like the Woolmer one would be absurd. It's just a grotesque coincidence that the actor who plays Woolmer was a close buddy of the dead man."

Mahesh would rather focus on the larger moral question that his cinema raises. "Cricketers are as human as anyone else liable to be seduced by the goodies of the world. The film points out that there's huge money in cricket. It's a money-making industry. Everybody exploits this deity called cricket. So does my hero Emraan."

He saves a special word of praise for his leading man. "I think Jannat is Emraan's coming-of-age movie. It'd do for Emraan what my Naam did for Sanjay Dutt. He is a vulnerable abominable risk-taker who falls in love with a woman who has a value-system totally contrary to his."

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Sonal Chauhan is all set to make her debut in Bollywood with “Jannat”, which will storm the cinema halls all over India from May 16, 2008. The film stars Emraan Hashmi as its protagonist.

'Sonal Chauhan is an Indian fashion model and actress. She was crowned as the Miss World Tourism 2005 at Miri, Sarawak state of Malaysia.

Sonal had also been a noteworthy former Miss India contestant. Bold and beautiful Sonal Chauhan is the first ever Indian to have claimed Miss World Tourism title. She has been a popular model of Delhi and has appeared in a number of advertisement campaigns in print and electronic media.

Jannat will be a test of Sonal’s acting, but with blend of beauty, simple charm and natural skills she is all set to win this one. Almost all the models and pageant winners dream to head towards Bollywood.

But acting is a tougher job than modeling and only those who understand this criteria, stand a chance in this field.

Sonal has been very popular as a model and her beauty has already cast a spell. Her co-star Emraan Hashmi described her as hard working and talented girl.

Originally hailing from U.P, Jannat would be Sonal’s first stint on the big screen though she has earlier been a part of modeling and advertisement world as well.

After launching Kangana Ranaut, and Mrinalini Sharma, successfully, Sonal Chauhan is the latest launch from the Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt banner Vishesh Films with Jannat. Sonal is very keen on her debut with Jannat and seems in a mood of thanks to the duo.

Sonal loves being in front of camera, no matter whether still or a moving one. She bears an introvert natured personality. She is playing Zoya in Jannat, who is an independent call centre employee. “I play a strong headed girl in the film who is modern and totally gainst crime act.” She added.

Sonal has already impressed Bhatts so much with her acting skills that she has been signed for a three movie deal with Vishesh Films, including “Raaz 2”.

Being a model for two years, having an experience of various ramp shows and print campaigns for big brands like L.G, Reliance CDMA, Hero Honda Passion, Nokia, Hindustan Times, Delhi Times and many more, Sonal is all set to win hearts and praises with her latest venture Jannat in Bollywood

Bhatts have given Sonal a heavenly debut with Jannat, which is being released by Percept Picture Company in India.

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