Mumbai, April 16 (IANS) Emraan Hashmi, who is gearing up for the release of his next film, ‘Ground Zero,’ opened up about the rising talent in Bollywood and didn’t hold back in praising Ranbir Kapoor.

Calling him one of the finest actors of the current generation, Hashmi lauded Ranbir’s performance in ‘Animal’ and highlighted the fresh perspective he brings to the screen. Praising Ranbir’s acting prowess, Emraan told IANS, “I won’t comment much on social media trolling—it’s an echo chamber full of noise. It shouldn’t be taken seriously. But Ranbir Kapoor is one actor I really admire. I liked his performance in Animal. There are many young actors doing great work and bringing fresh perspectives to the screen.”

In Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s action-thriller, Ranbir played the role of Rannvijay Singh, who goes on to take revenge after there's an assassination attempt on his father. The film also starred Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, Triptii Dimri, and Anil Kapoor in pivotal roles.

Speaking of Emraan’s latest project, the film will see him playing the role of BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, who spearheaded the operation to execute Ghazi Baba. This mission was recognized as the best operation of the BSF in the past 50 years.

When asked about stepping into the shoes of Dubey—a commanding officer in the film ‘Ground Zero,’ Emraan Hashmi offered a glimpse into the intense preparation behind the role. He shared, “When an actor takes on a role like this, there’s always a physical, emotional, and psychological aspect involved. Physically, I had to adopt a disciplined body language. When you’re playing a commanding officer, posture and demeanor become crucial.”

“I had to work on my physique too—weight training, dietary changes, increasing my calorie intake—to look and feel the part. Emotionally and psychologically, I immersed myself by speaking with BSF officers to understand their mental state during operations, their family dynamics, and the kind of emotional toll such a high-risk profession takes. As actors, we’ve never lived through those situations, so we rely on imagination and drawing parallels from personal experiences. Every life has moments of intensity and uncertainty—you channel that into your performance,” he added.

‘Ground Zero,’ directed by Tejas Deoskar, is all set to hit cinemas on April 25, 2025.