It’s easy to overlook a cigarette in a crowded action scene, but Aditya Datt made sure that one prop in Gunmaaster G9 carried more weight than the gunplay. The director revealed that he explicitly instructed Emraan Hashmi to mimic the distinctive smoking style of legendary lyricist Anand Bakshi. It wasn’t just a character choice; it was a quiet, personal homage woven into the fabric of the action thriller.
For Datt, Bakshi was more than a cultural icon—he was the grandfather who shaped his career. Datt recalled how, as a young man dreaming of cinema, he pitched an idea to Bakshi. Instead of dismissing it, Bakshi tested him. He listened to a story, gauged the boy's seriousness, and then pointed him toward Mahesh Bhatt. That single piece of advice set Datt on his path, making the smoking gesture in the film a way to keep that mentorship alive on screen.
The film itself leans into what Datt calls “screen logic” rather than documentary realism. He wants larger-than-life narratives, and that philosophy extends to casting. Hashmi plays a man whose life unravels when a mafia syndicate targets him, forcing a fight for his love interest—played by Genelia D’Souza—while dodging bullets. It’s a reunion for Hashmi and Datt, following their work together on Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Dil Diya Hai.
With Himesh Reshammiya composing the score, Gunmaaster G9 hits theaters on November 27. Whether the smoking tribute resonates as deeply as the action sequences remain to be seen, but the intent behind it is clear: respect for the man who believed in him first.