/> Ever since the beginning of his career, Emraan Hashmi has maintained that he prefers working in solo starrers. If at all he has to work in a multi starrer then the script and his role has to be really enticing enough for him to say yes to a project.

No wonder, his repertoire of films since the time he began his career in 2003 reads only two multi starrers (FOOTPATH, CHOCOLATE), while he has worked in multiple solo/two lead protagonists films like RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES, AWARAPAN, JANNAT, THE TRAIN, GOOD BOY BAD BOY, DIL DIYA HAI, THE KILLER, GANGSTER, AKSAR, JAWANI DIWANI - A YOUTHFUL RIDE, KALYUG, AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE, ZEHER, TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA and MURDER.

This is the reason why it comes as a surprise when he goes ahead and signs ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI that has Ajay Devgan towering the film's cast. So what really made him sign a film like this when he has shown clear aversion to multi starrers over the years?

"As I have stated earlier, when I have to work in a two hero project or a multi starrer, it's not just the setup or the script but also my own role in a standalone mode that has to be important enough. This is something that I saw in ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI that boasts of everything as a package that I ever wanted", comes Emraan's reply.

But hadn't he sworn off multi starrers after his not-so-good-experience in CHOCOLATE that had a horde of actors like Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Suneil Shetty and Arshad Warsi. Reportedly, he was quite unhappy with the entire experience as his role didn't quite come in the fore front and he felt that his character was completely marginalised.

"Well, I learnt from the experience of CHOCOLATE", he chuckles, "I got to know what not to do and read between the lines when a script is narrated to you. I guess I have become much wiser after the CHOCOLATE experience and am much more careful when it comes to choosing work for myself.

The way Milan Luthria, the director of ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI, narrated the script and my part to me, I could see that we were making the right progress. I am confident about consenting to do the film being a right move on my part."

Though he admits that initially he was skeptical about signing this Milan Luthria directed film, today he is extremely happy with his decision.

Why was he skeptical though? After all this would have been his first bona fide crime thriller?

"This was the very reason due to which I had to think a multiple times before saying yes to the film", confesses Emraan, "When I look around, every underworld movie with crime as it's base wants to be a Satya or a Company.

Such has been the influence of these Ram Gopal Varma films that they have set a benchmark for movies belonging to this genre. My first question to the makers was - Is Once Upon a Time in Mumbai going to follow the same line or would be aiming at breaking some new grounds?'"

Thankfully for Emraan, Milan and writer Rajat Arora (continuing to share a partnership since Taxi No. 9211 and Hat Trick) had conceived their film differently and were ready with their answers.

"I was assured that Once Upon a Time in Mumbai was not just different but also aimed at changing the preconceived notions about the way an underworld movie is presented", says a relieved Emraan, "This is something that I have also realised after shooting for bits of the film."

Still, with him coming together with Ajay Devgan in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, one can't help but bring in comparisons around similar 'jodi' that was seen in Company when Vivek Oberoi was pitted against Ajay.

"Exactly, this too was very much in mind", Emraan nods in agreement here, "Company is still fresh in everyone's memory and as I stated earlier, it has created a benchmark.

So yes, with Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, this is the very benchmark we are trying to change. More than that, revealing anything about Ajay or my role would be still too early. So let's wait for a while before we can declare to the world that how different are the two films."

Also starring Kangna Ranaut and Prachi Desai as the leading ladies, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI, which is set in the underworld of the 70s, has just kick started it's shooting. Produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor, the film would be released only in 2010.