Riteish Deshmukh told Genelia she must do Gunmaster G9

Think Genelia Deshmukh, and you immediately think of her bubbly roles. But producer Deepak Mukut says that will change with Gunmaaster G9, led by Emraan Hashmi and Genelia. The action entertainer, which went on floors in Mumbai in August, will see the leading lady in a fierce avatar as she stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Hashmi and takes on baddies. 

Deepak Mukut

“Genelia is the surprise element of the movie,” starts Mukut, before divulging how the actor’s husband Riteish Deshmukh played a role in her signing the movie. “Riteish, who is an actor and director himself, told her she must do the film. Ghar ki bahu khana pakati hai, but if gangsters come home, what will she do? Here, she is not your sweet, docile homemaker. When her family is harmed, she can become Durga too. So, we’ll get to see her doing plenty of action.”

Emraan Hashmi leads the film

A 22-year career so far has given Genelia the opportunity to not only star in some memorable movies like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) and the recent Sitaare Zameen Par, but also straddle Bollywood with regional offerings. Now, with Aditya Datt’s directorial venture, the actor is happy to break away from her girl-next-door image. “In Gunmaaster G9, I have a lot of scope to perform as it is a layered role, unlike what I have done earlier. I am happy to get genres that I’d never be approached for before,” she says. 

While Datt took the actioner on floors in August with a five-day schedule, the unit is currently on a break. The team will regroup in October for an extensive schedule. Mukut elaborates, “After Diwali, we will do a start-to-finish shoot in Haridwar and Mussourie. By November, we should complete the shoot and be ready for an early 2026 release. Aditya and Emraan made a great combination in Aashiq Banaya Aapne [2005]. You’ll see the Emraan we used to like earlier — doing romance, action, and hit songs.”