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Posts tagged John Abraham interview
I have been burnt enough-John Abraham
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
John Abraham talks to Mirror about playing Manya Surve, the women in his life, and why he doesn’t really believe in the Rs 100 crore club
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 8, 2013)
John Abraham is both excited and anxious. His role in Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout at Wadala (SAW) is very different from anything he has done so far. We find the actor a tad under the weather as we engage him in a free-wheeling conversation at his office. Excerpts…
You are perceived as a sex symbol. Were you apprehensive about playing Manya Surve? I was apprehensive. As we went deeper into Manya’s character, I realised the role would get tougher by the scene. I had two options: back out and keep my image intact or take the next step and do something radically different.
So you chose the latter. I knew if I cracked it, it would carry me into a different space. It would get filmmakers to sit up and see something they never expected of John Abraham.
SAW is your acid test… I don’t need any more acid tests in life. I have been burnt enough. Let’s put it this way: SAW will reintroduce John Abraham. My fans will revalidate their faith in me and, hopefully, others will become my fans too.
But why haven’t you delivered a Rs 100 crore film yet? What about Housefull 2 and Race 2? It’s just that I didn’t make a noise about these films. Besides, Rs 100 crore films are not necessarily good films.
Housefull 2 and Race 2 had an ensemble cast. Does SAW have an ensemble cast or is it a John Abraham film? It’s More >
We made lot of mistakes with I Me Aur Main-John Abraham
12 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Now that his latest solo venture has tanked, the actor goes for an unsparing post mortem
Soumyadipta Banerjee (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 4, 2013)
Look carefully, and you are likely to spot worry lines criss-crossing his handsome face. John Abraham, who has just about established himself as a sharp producer and a veritable eye-candy in multi-starrer projects, is in a delicate situation right now. I Me Aur Main, his solo project, has fared less than badly at the box office, casting a shadow of doubt on his ability to carry a film entirely on his robust shoulders. There are whispers that the co-producers of Madras Café, his ambitious political thriller featuring him, are in a huddle. And the stakes on Shootout at Wadala, in which John stars as Manya Surve, just got higher.
Mirror caught up with the actor-producer in a surprisingly combative and seriously introspective mood. Not willing to be hemmed in by the poor performance of I Me Aur Main, John tackled our questions head on, telling us how he is keen to learn from his mistakes.
Response to I, Me Aur Main has been very poor. Are you aware of it? I was very clear from the start that it was a very niche film. It had a very restricted appeal. It was an ode to the modern woman, so to say. My target audience was different.
What do you mean by target audience? At the end of the day, it was a John Abraham film… I get the feeling that ‘Action Abraham’ is far more popular than any other type of Abraham. My action films are mass More >
Check out John Abraham giving interview in washroom
03 months ago
MID-DAY (February 21, 2013)
Now that his film I Me Aur Main is releasing, John Abraham has crawled out of the biggest rock he hides under normally and has been talking about everything under the sun including his girlfriend Priya Runchal. It appears that Johnny boy does not even take a breather in the washroom. He was spotted at an event on Tuesday giving an interview in the loo of a South Mumbai hotel! John certainly has lots to say just about everywhere!
What attracts me most to a woman is her simplicity-John Abraham
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
By John Abraham (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2013)
“Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men” — Joseph Conrad
I would like to talk about my perception of what I believe a woman is to me and I hope this template stands true for most of you who read this.
My life has always been defined by the relationship I share with the wonderful women who are part of my life. I’ve been asked on several occasions what attracts me most to a woman and the answer is always the same — her simplicity! The most beautiful makeup of a woman is her simplicity… cosmetics are easier to buy. There is nothing more attractive than a woman being understated as well as understanding her power to attract but still maintaining that sense of dignity through her calm demeanour. In fact, this picture of mine has been clicked by a woman and it was her first photo shoot.
I believe that feminism has a radical notion that women are human beings. I believe that women are way beyond that. And also, believe me my friends, taking a woman for granted for too long is like drinking too much alcohol. It may be fun for a short time, but the hangover is like hell.
At the risk of sounding uncharacteristic, sex is highly overrated. I do not say it’s not important. A man today, like every woman, is looking for a sense of something deeper… a real relationship with a real woman. He is looking for support and a deeper connection.
When women look at me they see John Abraham More >
There are more people who are willing to back my vision-John Abraham
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
The actor tells us he would rather avoid multi-star projects unless they come with a role he can sink his teeth into
Chandrima Pal (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 26, 2013)
There have been reports about John Abraham’s unwillingness to sign or promote films in which he may be required to share the spotlight with other actors (he reportedly refused five multi-cast projects recently, including one with Shah Rukh Khan). This comes at a time when he evidently enjoys a certain currency in the fraternity as an actor and producer. While a section of the industry dubs it as ‘John’s arrogance’, we asked him if he has been at the receiving end of any such criticism. “Most people have been supportive, encouraging,” he says calmly, adding, “Except a few who may have been dishonest.”
On the day when Race 2 – in which he co-stars with Saif Ali Khan – releases, John tells us why we may not see him play second fiddle in any project any time soon. “Let me put it this way,” he articulates. “I am only interested in author-backed roles. Something like a Manya Surve in Shootout at Wadala or I, Me Aur Main, or Madras Café,” he says. “There are way too many proposals in our industry, and too few actual scripts that translate into films. I am not interested in being a part of a mere proposal.”
But we nudge him gently – remind him that he has not always been known for his acting chops and ask him if this is why he is anxious and hungry to grab meaty roles. “The hunger to prove myself has always been More >
Women make your life feel good-John Abraham
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
John Abraham on the essence of familial ties, keeping mum about marriage and his next film dedicated to the ladies
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; December 28, 2012)
John Abraham is having the time of his life. With a series of recent hits in his kitty, the actor is quite upbeat about his upcoming films with Sanjay Gupta (Shootout At Wadala) as well as Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe. While his romance with girlfriend Priya Runchal is blooming, the actor says he has never looked and felt better! An excerpt from an interview…
The New Year looks good for you. Are you planning to settle down soon with Priya? I guess everyone will get to know once it happens. I have decided to keep quite on this topic now. You will really have to try hard to make me speak about it.
Are you going to do just action films now? I have to live up to the expectations of my audience. It is true that all my three releases – Race 2, Shootout At Wadala as well as Madras Cafe are all action-oriented. The audience will see me doing hard-core raw action. I think we never had any particular superhero in our industry. Gupta thinks that I will be the supehero after doing his films. It is a really big compliment for me. After watching the promos of the film, I have been told that I am the only action star around. It feels nice.
Is romance going to take a back seat as far as your films are concerned? No, actually in debutant Kapil Sharma’s I For Ishaan I am playing a simple guy in love. It is releasing in March More >
The ‘Cage Fight’ is my item song-John Abraham
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; December 24, 2012)
John Abraham talks about being sexy and edgy, and the severe action sequences which broke his bones and made him cry in Race 2, that also stars Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, Anil Kapoor and Ameesha Patel.
You have performed Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in Race 2, something you have not done before… When I was offered Race 2, it reminded me of Dhoom (2004) minus the bikes. I missed the bikes, but the mind-blowing action in Race 2 makes up for it. I had to practice MMA with stunt director Peter Hein. Two Vietnamese fighters — Son and Tun — coached me for two months to get my kicks, flexibility and agility right. When I started rehearsing, for the first few days, I had tears in my eyes as my body went through excruciating pain. I’d scream dao (it means pain in Viatnamese), but they pushed me. I almost lost faith in myself, but didn’t give up.
What kept you going? I want to set a certain benchmark for raw action in Bollywood. I believe in stunts that are real and believable. I’ve done a cage fight in the movie without cables. This is my item song for Race 2! I have fought with a 300-pound South African professional fighter, Andrew, in the film. He was a sweet, docile guy otherwise, but once he entered the ring, I had to fight to save my life. The reality of action is very evident when you see us bashing each other’s guts out. You can tell it’s not fake.
Given the intensity of the fight, More >
Bhatt sahab was my school and Adi my college-John Abraham
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; December 6, 2012)
John Abraham, 39, betrays none of the nerves that actors display before the release of a big film, in this case Race 2. Instead, Action Abraham takes an afternoon off to chat with Bombay Times about his parents, his somewhat unusual schedule and the people he admires most in the film industry (it has little to do with their BO worth).
Tell us about your childhood? My father is a Protestant and my mother, an Iranian. From the age of four, my father always told me that ‘to be a good man, you don’t need to go to a temple, church or a mosque. You just need to do good’. While I believe in the presence of a supreme being, I am agnostic. My grandparents from both my mother and father’s side had ten children each, so the original Vicky Donor is me, as the highest propensity to procreate is mine. I studied at Bombay Scottish where I was the athletics champion and the football captain. School is a great leveller where you are known not by the money you have, but by how good you are in sport, not even studies. At school, even though I travelled in trains and buses, I got all the attention being the football captain. The senior girls in school used to call me handsome and I would get embarrassed. But the myth was shattered as soon as I got out of school and realised that I was just this middle class ‘Jo’ who did not even own a car, whereas people around me were rich and owned Benz and Audis. I suddenly felt anonymous. My father had More >
Bhattsaab cried when I died in Jism-John Abraham
010 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
As told to Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 5, 2012)
Some people are of the opinion that my debut was unconventional. Yes, in Jism (2003), I didn’t have to be the boy-next-door or the stereotype hero who runs round trees. Rather, I played Kabir, a lawyer who is quite the Casanova. He is this cool dude, full of attitude. His life revolves around wine and women. He does not take life seriously. Sounds very exciting but trust me, the role was very difficult to enact.
Your first film is the first step of your journey in Bollywood and it is never easy. However, thanks to Mahesh Bhatt, Jism proved the perfect launch.
That man’s contribution in the making of his films has to be seen to be believed. I still remember Bhatt saab had tears in his eyes when I did the scene where I die. All that motivated me to rise to the occasion.
The film had a good storyline. The skin show only added to the appeal. And people simply went: “Oh my God” when they saw sex playing out on the screen in Jism. Today, we have much more skin show and lovemaking in our movies. So in a sense, Jism was a trendsetter. Nine years ago, it was way ahead of its times.
Jism was special for me also because it focused on and tapped my acting talent. I think my vulnerability comes across beautifully on screen. And if you can do your very first film with conviction and the right dose of vulnerability, you have a winner on hand.
After Jism released, almost everybody knew who I was. I was known as a model earlier too More >
When I marry, nobody will know about it-John Abraham
011 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
John Abraham talks about all the things that make him smile these days
Janhavi Samant (MID-DAY; June 7, 2012)
Vicky Donor’s collected Rs 36.01 crore (at the end of seven weeks) and he has laughed all the way to the bank. But that’s not what John’s smiling about lately. He’s just heard good things from people who have seen the rushes of his portrayal of Manya Surve in the forthcoming gangster film Shootout At Wadala.
“This film will be for me what Vaastav was for Sanjay Dutt. The Marathi speaking part is easy enough. Everyone in Mumbai can manage a kasa ahe, kai mhantos. It’s the transformation of the character that is mind-blowing. That is a career-defining role for me. It’s very different from what I have done before,” grins the actor.
Vicky’s success has also bolstered the actor’s confidence in his production acumen. “Vicky Donor has changed my personality from 2D to 3D. I know now exactly what kind of film I want to be part of. I want to make films that people will talk about,” he says with resolve.
Although the actor is currently busy with finishing the sequel of Race, he has on his plate six films to produce. The actor will be launching Jaafna, a political thriller, Hamara Bajaj with Shoojit Sircar and Kala Ghoda, where John is also acting alongside Kunal Roy Kapoor, to be directed by Aditya Bhattacharya and some more.
So where is the time to get married then, we ask. “I am asking the same question. I am clear that I want to get married. Currently the challenge is More >