Syed Emraan Anwar Hashmi is a prominent Indian actor who carved a distinct niche in Hindi cinema through intense, unconventional, and grey-shaded characters. After starting his career path as an assistant director for Raaz (2002), he made his on-screen debut with the crime thriller Footpath in 2003. Hashmi skyrocketed to fame as a romantic icon during the mid-2000s, anchoring chart-topping musical thrillers like Murder and Zeher. He earned widespread critical acclaim and multiple awards nominations for his exceptional work in mature drama films like Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Shanghai.