John Abraham on the roll

From a model who was advised by director Karan Johar to steer clear of films after winning the Gladrags Manhunt contest in 1999 to now being Bollywood's hottest sensation, John's phoenix-like rise is nothing short of a miracle.

And given that he has made it in an industry as close knit as Bollywood, the feat is even more commendable.

John's latest film - "Taxi No. 9211" - comes at a time when even the best of stars are weary of featuring in solo-hero projects. The highly promoted film is riding solely on the able shoulders his 6.1 feet well-sculpted physique, as far as attracting crowds is concerned.

The Milan Luthria film itself benefits hugely from Nana Patekar who has, as always, delivered a remarkable performance. John and Nana are cast in diametrically opposite roles that seem to be custom-made. The music by Vishal-Shekhar, who worked magic in "Bluffmaster", is like icing on the cake.

While commercial success came to "Parsi" (as Bipasha Basu likes to call him because of his Malayali-Parsi parentage) following "Dhoom", and phrases like sex symbol and Bollywood's man-of-the-moment have stuck, critical acclaim has not lagged behind. His subtle performance in Deepa Mehta's "Water" fetched him standing ovation at international film festivals.

The vast range of his repertoire is also impressive. While debut "Jism" was a skin flick; "Kaal" was a super-natural thriller; "Dhoom" an action flick;

"Viruddh" a family drama; "Water" an off-beat film; and "Garam Masala" a comedy.

Lucrative endorsements are swamping him with brands realising his broad-based appeal.