Emraan Hashmi gives Shanghai world premiere a miss

Highlights

• Shanghai director Dibakar Banerjee and lead actors Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin were in attendance at the film's star-studded world premiere here but missing from the action was co-star Emraan Hashmi.
• Pics: IIFA 2012 opens with a bang
• The film's screening on the first day of the IIFA weekend saw Bollywood stars Dia Mirza, Zoya Akhtar, Sameera Reddy and Chitrangada Singh turn out in their designer outfits, but his co-stars and fans missed Emraan.
• Read: Your IIFA Diary: Shanghai's stylish stars
• "We really wanted Emraan to be here with us but he has fallen ill and could not come to Singapore. The hectic promotional schedules have taken a toll on all of us," said Kalki while walking the green carpet laid out here at the Shaw Theatres Lido where the film was premiered.
• "Is Emraan Hashmi here? I really want to see him. I have watched all his films, Jannat, Jannat 2. He is not coming?" asked a fan, who had turned up at the venue to take a look at the star.
• But others from the Bollywood brigade made up for Emraan's absence with their enthusiasm for the movie, a political thriller, set in a fictitious small town called Bharat Nagar.
• "Dibakar is my favourite director. I have watched the film already and today I will be watching it for the second time this week. I loved the film," said Zoya.
• Chitrangada echoed her, "I have huge expectations from the film. Dibakar always delivers. Abhay is such a fabulous actor and he chooses different kind of roles."
• Kalki, who plays the female lead in the film, attended the screening without her filmmaker husband Anurag Kashyap.
• "Even Anurag is very excited about Shanghai. He has watched the film and is jealous of Dibakar," she said.
• Read: Anurag jealous of Dibakar Banerjee, says wife Kalki
• Shanghai releases all over tomorrow.