Emraan Hashmi 'to stay for Murder 3'

Emraan Hashmi is to return to his starring role in the newly-announced follow-up to the erotic thriller Murder 2.

The actor plays a former policeman in Goa who finds himself helping a local pimp trace the murder of prostitutes working in the area.

Producer Mahesh Bhatt told The Times of India: "Like Sean Connery in the James Bond series, Emraan will be in all our Murder series. He is an in-house asset created by us.

"Mere shock value and titillation are not enough to pull in an audience today. A good narrative combined with a modern morality is necessary."

Bhatt's brother and producing partner Mukesh added that Murder 3 will cater "to a younger noir cinema that has erotica as its theme".

Mukesh went on to describe the planned sequel as "again a no-holds-barred, completely new experience".

The decision to make Murder 2 after the 2004 film was prompted by a run of box-office failures including Tum Mile and Crook, Mahesh claimed.

Hashmi this week described himself as second only to Salman Khan when it came to box-office success.

He will next be seen in Informer with his Once Upon a Time in Mumbai co-star Randeep Hooda.

Watch the trailer for Murder 2 below: