Emraan Hashmi Says He Turned Down Several Gangster Roles After OG

Emraan Hashmi’s entry into Telugu cinema through They Call Him OG turned out to be an unexpected but significant career move for the actor. In a recent interview, Hashmi reflected on how he became part of the Pawan Kalyan-led action drama and explained why his experience with the film has influenced the kind of roles he considers afterward.

The actor revealed that making a Telugu film was not something he had specifically planned. His decision changed after the team introduced him to the story and the world created by director Sujeeth. According to Hashmi, the filmmaker’s distinctive approach and the scale of the characters immediately caught his attention.

Rather than simply being another action movie, OG offered Hashmi a character and setting that he found sufficiently different from the usual gangster projects. His role as Omi became one of the major talking points surrounding the film, particularly because it marked his first appearance in Telugu cinema.

Sujeeth’s Vision Attracted Hashmi

Hashmi credited Sujeeth’s filmmaking style as one of the main reasons he agreed to join the project. The actor was particularly impressed by the director’s ability to create characters on a larger-than-life scale while maintaining a distinctive visual and dramatic identity.

For Hashmi, that combination made the script stand apart. The actor indicated that the film contained more than the conventional ingredients associated with gangster stories. Its heightened presentation and strong characterisation gave him a reason to explore something outside the kind of projects he had already done.

The decision also brought Hashmi into a new film industry and paired him with Pawan Kalyan. The combination generated considerable interest well before the film reached theatres. OG, directed by Sujeeth, marked Hashmi’s Telugu debut and positioned him opposite Pawan Kalyan in a prominent role.

Omi Became a Standout Character

Hashmi played Omi, a gangster whose presence forms an important part of the film’s conflict. The actor’s portrayal was built around a stylish and intimidating persona, giving the character a distinct identity within the story.

Promotional material for the movie highlighted the confrontation between Hashmi’s Omi and Pawan Kalyan’s Ojas Gambheera. The contrast between the two characters became a central element of the film’s promotional campaign and increased anticipation among fans.

For Hashmi, however, the appeal of Omi went beyond the visual presentation. He has described the character as particularly interesting, suggesting that the role offered him enough scope to approach a gangster character differently from previous opportunities.

That distinction became important for the actor when similar projects began coming his way.

Why Hashmi Rejected Other Gangster Films

One of the more interesting revelations from Hashmi’s interview was that OG influenced his decisions after completing the film. He said that several gangster-film offers came to him subsequently, but he chose not to accept them.

The reason was straightforward: those scripts did not give him the same feeling that OG had provided. Hashmi felt the projects were not offering something stronger or more appealing than what he had already experienced with Sujeeth’s film.

His comments suggest that the actor is now more selective when considering roles within the gangster genre. Rather than repeating a successful character type, he appears interested in projects that bring a different level of scale, characterisation or storytelling.

A New Chapter in Telugu Cinema

Hashmi’s role in OG represented more than another addition to his filmography. It introduced the Bollywood actor to Telugu audiences while allowing him to work within a highly stylised action world.

The film also expanded his association with negative and grey-shaded characters. Hashmi has previously taken on antagonistic roles in Hindi cinema, but OG gave him the opportunity to explore that space in a Telugu-language production.

Following OG, Hashmi has continued to appear in projects featuring challenging roles. He is also associated with G2, in which he plays an antagonist opposite Adivi Sesh. Meanwhile, his recent release Awarapan 2 has brought him back into a leading role.

For now, Hashmi’s remarks underline just how strongly OG affected his perception of gangster roles. What began as an unexpected entry into Telugu cinema became an experience that set a higher benchmark for the actor when evaluating similar scripts.

With Omi establishing a memorable screen presence, Hashmi’s Telugu debut has also opened the door to greater interest in his future work across South Indian cinema.