Emraan Hashmi shares his plans for 'Raaz 3' and fatherhood

His "Raaz 2" has got an encouraging opening and actor Emraan Hashmi (pictured left) is all set to work in the third installment of the spooky thriller. He also feels secure enough to start a family now.

"We're trying for a baby and we should be parents by next year. One is never prepared for fatherhood. And if I wait to be fully prepared, it will never happen. But I'm getting into the mindset now," Emraan, who is married to Parveen Shahani, told IANS.

Talking about "Raaz 3", he said: "Yes we're on," said Emraan. "The third part will also be directed by Mohit Suri and I'll play the lead. The rest of the details are yet to be decided. The cast of the second 'Raaz' film was totally new. And I think I'm going to be the only actor common to 'Raaz 2' and '3'."

Emraan feels vindicated by the audiences' response to "Raaz 2", which also starred Kangana Ranaut and newcomer Adhyayan Suman.

"My wife kept telling me I should try the genre. I had never done horror before. It's believed in the trade that horror films open well and then soon fizzle out. But then it was also believed that a film looking at the seamier side of cricket ('Jannat') would never do well.

"I like to walk the lonely path. That's why you don't see me at parties and functions. Maybe that's why I play the part of the loner and watch another guy take away the girl I love," Emran said, drawing attention to his loser-lover's role in "Awarapan" and now "Raaz 2".

Emraan, who has been lying low during the publicity of "Raaz 2" thanks to all the focus on real-life pair Kangana-Adhyayan, says he didn't feel left out.

"Kangana and Adhyayan were a real-life couple. I can't concoct an affair just to be noticed. I was confident my work would speak for itself. Sure enough I believe people clap when I come on screen the first time. I do have fan base, though it might be small," he said.

Mohit Suri: After RTMC you won't walk in dark areas

Mohit Suri's much talked about horror film Raaz – The Mystery Continues hits theatres this weekend. Starring Kangana Ranaut, Emraan Hashmi and Adhyayan Suman, the film promises to give shivers down your spine.

We ask Mohit Suri to pick his five spookiest parts of the film:

5. The locations of this film are really very scary. We have shot in barren places like Mukesh Mills, Simla and ruins of Bhangarh and when you will see these places in the context of the film you will not want to go there alone ever again!

4. The strongest part of this film is the background score which is silent in its own way but will frighten everyone.

3. The paintings which are shown in the film which show the story of Nandita (Kangana Ranuat)

2. Kangana performance in the film will hold everyone's attention. She is really very scary. And similarly Emraan Hashmi's grey character is something to look out for

1 .There is a one scene where Kangana meets with an accident on the road and Emraan witnesses it.

The director on a parting note leaves us with one caution: This film will surely disturb your mind and whoever will watch the film will not walk alone in dark areas ever again!

Raaz - The Mystery Continues - Movie Review

By Taran Adarsh

The team behind RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES have often clarified that it's not a sequel to RAAZ, one of the most interesting cinematic experiences, besides being the biggest Hit of that year. Yet, you cannot but draw parallels with the first film of the franchise.

Horror as a genre hasn't been tapped to the optimum in India. We've witnessed spooky fares in the past and some of them have succeeded in making you break into a cold sweat [BHOOT stands tall in this list]. Last year's PHOONK and 1920 were scary movies as well.

There's tremendous curiosity to watch RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES, but does it scare the living daylights out of you? Fortunately, yes!

The story [Mohit Suri] is absorbing and Mohit treats the subject like a veteran, as if he knows the genre very well. There're moments that make your heart beat faster, you watch the events with eyes and jaws wide open. Sure, there're blemishes as well, but they don't overpower the plusses or make you change your opinion about the film. While the beginning and the middle of the film is engrossing, it's the end that could've been better thought of.

Wanna get scared? Wanna get goose pimples? Buy the ticket for RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES pronto. It lives up to the hype and expectations completely.

A brooding artist Prithvi [Emraan Hashmi] experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita [Kangna Ranaut], a woman he has never met, while he paints on canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents that are waiting to happen.

At first, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvi's paintings and the near-death incidents in her life is hard to ignore.

Now, one of Prithvi's paintings has revealed her as dead. The only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash [Adhyayan Suman]. But he refuses to believe in Prithvi's premonitions. Will Nandita risk her love and her life to unravel this mystery?

Most of us have heard, witnessed or perhaps had a first-hand experience of supernatural. The present-day generation may, perhaps, term it as wild imagination or hallucination, while the believers may have their point of view. Mohit and screenplay writer Shagufta Rafique's characters in RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES are believers and non-believers, both.

Mohit smartly builds up the atmosphere. Sample these: Emraan and Kangna's first encounter at a mall and minutes later, inside an elevator; the New Year bash when Kangna is 'attacked' by spirits; Kangna's experience in her bathtub and also when she looks at the mirror; Kangna almost jumping off a cliff; the highpoint sequence, when angry bulls attack Emraan and Kangna. Incredible sequences all! Mohit has handled the most difficult portions with panache.

However, the entire flashback part, towards the pre-climax, is not as convincing. The ending too could've been better in terms of writing, although Mohit has filmed it exceptionally well.

Mohit's choice of the subject as also the actors is right. This is, without doubt, his finest effort to date. Shagufta's screenplay is watertight at most times. Like always, the Bhatts come up with a lilting musical score and at least two songs -- 'Soniyo' [Raju Singh] and 'Maahi' [Sharib-Toshi] -- are first-rate compositions. Ravi Walia's cinematography is up to the mark. The effects are impressive.

On the acting front, both Emraan and Kangna vie for top honours. Emraan is excellent. He conveys a lot through facial expressions and that's the sign of a proficient actor. He's just getting better and better with every film. Kangna is top notch. After FASHION, this one's another power-packed performance from the actress. Adhyayan Suman is super-confident and registers a strong impact, especially towards the climax. He shows promise. Jackie Shroff is quite okay in a brief role.

On the whole, RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES is rich in the horror quotient and that is one of its major USPs, besides the highly competent performances by its principal cast and a lilting musical score. At the box-office, this one will continue the winning streak of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films. The 4-day weekend [Monday, January 26 in a holiday] will only cement its status further. Go for it!

"I don't yell from the top of my voice about being the lead" - Emraan Hashmi

For Emraan Hashmi, playing an integral character in a film is the most important thing to do regardless of the screen space he gets. So whether it is a small but critical role in Kalyug or an obsessive lover with villainous shades in Murder or one of the three key characters in Raaz - The Mystery Continues, he approaches them with all the honesty and integrity.

Ask him if he is the main lead in the film or Adhyayan Suman and he goes on to reply, "I don't really get into topics like these because gone are the days when there was the concept of a hero or a main lead. I pick up a film when I am very convinced about a role because it's the depth in the character that matters most. If I like it, I go ahead and do it. I don't get into matters where I have to worry about whether the person other than me in the film has a meatier role."

Stating examples about how he has maintained this strategy from the very beginning of his career that saw him playing second lead to Aftab Shivdasani in Footpath, he goes on to add, "If I had thought on those lines, would I have done Murder considering it was supposed to be Mallika's film? When I do a film, I move ahead and let the audience decide whose film it was. I don't yell from the top of my voice that 'This is MY film'. The same holds good for Raaz - The Mystery Continues as well."

Some actors choose to do that though. They want the world to know that they have the most important part to play in a film. "Other actors may have different work priorities, I have my own. I work for the betterment of the character; the way the director wants me to play it. At the end of the day, a film is much bigger than the actor. And by the way, whenever I have a special appearance in the film, I haven't hidden it. There is no point being dishonest to your audience. In case of Kalyug, I had told people that I had a special appearance and it was basically a Kunal (Khemu) film", remembers Emraan Hashmi.

Which means he has a full fledged role in Raaz - The Mystery Continues even though all the romance seems to be reserved for Kangna and Adhyayan Suman? "Absolutely. I have a full blown character to enact in Raaz -TMC. As for who romances whom in the film, then well, watch the film", he winks before signing off.

'Raaz' is piping hot

Now this is a real coincidence. While Hollywood studio Warner Bros. awaits, with bated breath, the feedback to CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA on January 16, another Hollywood giant, Sony Pictures, is keeping its fingers crossed for RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES, which opens worldwide the following week, on January 23.

The Bhatts are known for qualitative films and RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES is no exception. In fact, those who've watched the rushes feel that the film has the potential to score big time. There hasn't been an eerie movie for a while now and although RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES is dissimilar to RAAZ, the brand should generate tremendous curiosity amongst viewers, translating into serpentine queues at the ticket counters.

Meanwhile, a section of the media has reported that the Bhatts are planning to dub RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES in South languages [Tamil and Telugu], releasing it simultaneously with the Hindi version. However, there's no truth to it. "We aren't dubbing in South languages," Mukesh Bhatt states.

RAAZ-TMC all set to unfold the mystery

Global music label, SONY BMG is presenting for the first time a Bollywood thriller, RAAZ–THE MYSTERY CONTINUES (RTMC) which is produced by Vishesh Films and directed by Mohit Suri. RTMC is slated to be released on 23rd January 2009 in India. The film stars Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Adhyayan Suman among others.

RTMC revolves around a successful model, Nandita (played by Kangana Ranaut), who is in love with the creative director of a television program (Adhyayan Suman). Nandita's life takes a dramatic turn when she meets an artist, Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi). He tells Nandita that all her paintings made by him are getting disfigured which spells impending danger for her. Initially, she does not believe him but then she starts facing horrifying situations herself. After this, hell breaks loose and an unstoppable storm begins. Thus unfold some of the most thrilling horror sequences of Bollywood with RAAZ – THE MYSTERY CONTINUES. The film is indeed ready to send audiences in frenzy.

The film deals with the issue of the ''evil within,'' highlighting prevalent superstitions and myths in Indian society. Right from the first look of its trailer, film buffs have been awaiting the release, making RTMC one of the most talked–about flicks of the season. The story of RTMC is written by Shagufta Rafique.

Mr. Mukesh Bhatt, Chairman & MD, Vishesh Films, is also very excited about RTMC – ''This film is really important for us in every respect – it is the most expensive horror film in Bollywood and its music and story have become the talk of the town. When you will see this film, you will realize that how much efforts we all have put in. I firmly believe that all the sequences of this film are such that they will keep the audience glued to their seats and terrified thereafter.''

Managing Director of SONY BMG, Mr. Shridhar Subramaniam has said ''Every small detail of this film has been taken care of to make it look realistic. It has immense mass–appeal with brilliant special effects, characterization, story and music. RTMC will be a landmark film to look out for."