No Emraan Hashmi in 'Murder 4'

In May, 2014, Mahesh Bhatt had said that having burnt their fingers with Murder 3, in which Randeep Hooda had replaced Emraan Hashmi, they'd realised that Emraan is an inseparable part of the brand. But now he has revised his opinion and insists that the Murder franchise does not belong to any one actor.

"Emraan Hashmi will not be there in Murder 4. He has matured as an actor and graduated to meaningful films like Hamari Adhuri Kahaani. There's also Mr X.

He doesn't need a franchise anymore," reasons Bhatt, adding that Murder 4 that rolls next year will have new faces.

The film is a remake of the Telugu film, Maaya, revolving around a TV journalist with extra sensory powers whose gutwrenching vision about Siddharth, the fashion designer she's in love with and who's engaged to her childhood friend, shatters her life completely.

READ: Don't write his obituary yet: Mahesh Bhatt on Emraan Hashmi

"My brother, Mukesh Bhatt, had seen the film and suggested I watch it. I was riveted and as soon as the film was over I called Neelkantha (writer-director G Neelkanta Reddy) and asked him to helm it for us," he says, adding that the subject has scope for erotica, young actors, hit music and offers an edge-of-the-seat experience " all the components which have made Murder a profitable brand for over a decade.

He believes coming from a different cultural background, Neelkanta will bring new colours into the brand.

"Despite being a remake of Maaya, Murder 4 will not be a copy-paste job. We will take the broad parameters of the narrative and take it into a new space.

Vikram Bhatt is co-writing the script with Neelkanta and will adapt it keeping the Hindi film audience in mind."