The actor wants to take a break from playing criminal characters

Director Prawal Raman has approached Emraan Hashmi for a film inspired by a stylish serial killer of the '70s, who is currently lodged in Kathmandu jail. Last year, the same role was offered to Sanjay Dutt, who had also turned it down.

Says a source close to the actor, "Emraan decided not to do the part as he does not see the point doing another role on the same lines -- he played a character inspired by an '80s don in the recently released Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai -- because he does not want to be typecast."

Not exciting enough
Adds the source, "Hashmi turned down the role because he has already played Shoaib, a character from the '80s (the era in which the serial killer was active). He wants Shoaib to remain alive in people's minds for years to come.

For him to be interested in a similar role, the script has to be really strong. Though four books and many documentaries have been made on the particular person, the character didn't seem exciting enough to Emraan."

Says Emraan, "I do films I'd want to watch at cinema halls. As far as a character is concerned, I like turmoil " as if he's going through a dilemma. I like crazy guys on screen. In The Dark Knight, I loved the Joker more than Batman as he's the bad guy with a point of view."