If you take away Amir Jamal’s 'Kaho Na Kaho', the film loses its soul – Mahesh Bhatt on 21 Years of ‘Murder’ - Exclusive

For over five decades, Mahesh Bhatt has been a filmmaker unafraid to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and spark debates. Whether through deeply introspective dramas like 'Arth' and 'Saaransh' or provocative thrillers like 'Murder', his cinema has never shied away from uncomfortable truths. As Murder completes 21 years, Bhatt Saab in an exclusive conversation with ETimes reflects on the film that redefined Bollywood’s approach to intimacy and marketing. From the bold promotional strategy to the music that became its soul and the careers it catapulted, he takes us back to the making of a film that stirred controversy yet became a template for the new-age thriller. In this candid conversation, he addresses the backlash, credits the relentless passion of his team, and shares why Murder remains a landmark film in Indian cinema.
"She’s married. She’s lonely. She’s having an affair…" These words crawled across the poster of Murder, featuring Mallika Sherawat’s bare back as she sat beside a shirtless Emraan Hashmi against a breathtaking blue ocean. It was an image that worked like blood in a shark pool.
I still remember that our first visual communication happened almost by providence. I was walking through the crowded streets of Bangkok—the sin capital of the world—when I stepped into a bookstore selling books on Buddhism. My eyes fell upon a line that struck me like a ton of bricks:
"The loneliness a married woman experiences in a bedroom with her husband is worse than the loneliness of a spinster who pines for companionship."
These two PR elements became the foundation of the film’s promotional campaign.
Murder had three outstanding contributions to the film industry. First, Anurag Basu—the director and writer—was finally coming into his own after the disastrous failure of Saaya, for which I take full responsibility. He had been given an assignment, and he executed it with sincerity. With Murder, he found his voice.
Emraan Hashmi, my nephew, had already made an impression in Vikram Bhatt’s Footpath. Though that film sank, it left Emraan in the audience’s consciousness.
Mallika Sherawat, who was relentless in her pursuit of stardom. She worked like a marathon runner with no finishing line, reminding me of what Marilyn Monroe once said: “I wasn’t the most talented, I wasn’t the most beautiful, but by God, I wanted it the most.” And Mallika wanted it the most.
Of course, Ashmit Patel played a crucial role and delivered well.
Anu Malik’s music was remarkable, but Murder also had a track by Amir Jamal, a Pakistani composer living in Saudi Arabia. Later, it was revealed that the song Bheege Honth Tere was actually a Middle Eastern track, which sparked controversy. Murder was a new beginning for Emraan, Mallika, and Anurag Basu.
If you take away Amir Jamal’s Bheege Honth Tere, the film loses its soul. And let’s not forget Saeed Quadri, my friend from Jodhpur, who was selling life insurance policies at the time. With Murder, he made his foray into Bollywood—and what a mark he left!
But beyond the music, there was another crucial factor at play.
Aggressive marketing. And for that, Mallika Sherawat deserves immense credit. She gave it her all and emerged as a star. The film became a template for the new century: high-concept ideas, low budgets, great music, and generous doses of erotica—because the world had changed.
People questioned how the maker of Saaransh, Arth, and Daddy could create what they called "semi-porn." But they never paused to consider that the film had passed the scrutiny of the Indian Censor Board and did not violate any laws.
The media tore it apart while simultaneously profiting from it—using its images, discussing its themes, and generating viewership. As I always say: everyone has bad things to say about s*x, but everyone profits from it.
Today, as Murder celebrates 21 years, I am glad to see that all three—Anurag, Mallika, and Emraan—are stars in their own right. Emraan, in particular, has astounded everyone and continues to evolve, getting better with time.