Top News

'My career's turning point': Emraan Hashmi recalls 'Jannat's success
16 May 2026

It's been 18 years since the release of Jannat (2008), a movie that catapulted Emraan Hashmi to new heights.

The film, directed by Kunal Deshmukh, was a box office sensation and created a cult following for its emotionally charged storyline.

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Hashmi recently recalled an overwhelming incident during the film's promotional event in Kolkata.

Meet-and-greet 'quickly turned into a near stampede'
Fan frenzy

Hashmi shared, "I remember it was 16th May 2008, during the inaugural IPL season. We had gone to a mall in Kolkata for a meet-and-greet."

"What started as a simple interaction quickly turned into a near stampede."

"The situation got so intense that the mall owner had to step in, and I was even moved into a bathroom to manage the crowd, with police called in to ensure everyone's safety."

More on film and its impact
Career milestone

Hashmi further added, "I couldn't believe people were just shouting my name, wanting to catch a glimpse."

"Jannat definitely became a huge turning point in my career."

The film followed Arjun Dixit, a street-smart youngster whose knack for predicting cricket match results draws him into the dangerous world of betting.

The music album composed by Pritam was ranked among the year's top soundtracks with songs like Zara Si and Judaai.

Meanwhile, Hashmi will soon be seen in Awarapan 2.