Emraan Hashmi is ready to take off shirt finally!

Mumbai, July 8 -- For two years, I have been slogging for a six-pack. Now I'm ready to take off my shirt," smiles Emraan Hashmi, who's showing off rippling muscles in Murder 2. "It's a passing shot, but a good physique is a part of my character graph. It's sad that all the hard work finally comes down to the stomach and everyone only talks about the abs."

He's been labeled a "serial kisser" and finds the tag "childish and juvenile". Now he's worried he may now land a "six-pack" tag. "That would be unfair, it takes the focus away from your performance," Emraan reasons. "Murder 2 is the kind of script I'd have loved to make my directorial debut with."

The sequel is reportedly inspired by the Nithari serial killings with a generous dose of Bollywood fiction. "What made the case disturbing is that cannibalism is something we've always associated with primitive minds and not the seemingly educated elite," says Emraan.

Murder (2004) is still remembered for Emraan and Mallika Sherawat's sizzling scenes. With Jacqueline Fernandes for company, he promises to steam up the sequel too. But he's quick to point out that while Murder was a behind-closed-doors extra-marital romp, this time the lovers are in a "no-strings-attached relationship that's all about sex and no commitment... Unabashed and out in the open."

There was talk of Mallika being approached for Murder 2, and Bipasha Basu doing an item number. However, neither feature in the film and Emraan is unfazed: "I don't have an equation with either. I haven't done a film with Mallika post Murder and Bipasha and I have never worked together. I was just an assistant on a couple of films she did, including Raaz. For me, casting is secondary."

Raaz 3 in 3D with Vikram Bhatt takes off by the year-end. It will be placed in an urban city. Emraan's also doing Dayan, a horror movie with Ekta Kapoor, which was recently announced, and about which he says, "It's too early to discuss Dayan now, I'll hear the story only in a month's time. All I can say is that despite the title, you'll get to see a lot of me."