Interview: John Abraham

Bollywood's rising star John Abraham, whose recent films "Zinda" and "Taxi No. 9211" have done well at the box office, says he would like to reach the global audience with an Indian theme like in Deepa Mehta's film "Water".

"In Canada 'Water' has catered to an all-white audience. And they were completely taken aback. If I have to reach to a global audience I'd rather do it through a film on an Indian theme like 'Water'," said John.

"Water" depicts the plight of widows in the 1930s' India. John plays an idealistic young man who falls in love with a widow played by Lisa Ray.

The film won the Best Film award in at the Bangkok International Film Festival last month. It has also proved a smash hit in Canada, having opened five film festivals and grossed almost two million dollars at the Canadian box office since November.

John is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan and feels indebted to him because when most of the established actresses refused to work with him, Big B came to his rescue.

"At a time when big heroines refused to work with me Mr. Amitabh Bachchan worked with me in 'Aetbaar'. Mr. Bachchan and Bipasha (Basu) have been very supportive. I am very close to Abhishek and the entire Bachchan family. I wouldn't want anyone to say anything negative about them," John told IANS.

Excerpts:

Your performance in Deepa Mehta's "Water" has been widely appreciated?
Not too many people in India have seen it. And I didn't tom-tom it. It's such beautiful film. In Canada "Water" has catered to an all-white audience. And they were completely taken aback. We have never had reactions like that before. For them the whole concept of the film was alien. It's one thing for audiences here to call out 'John Abraham'. It was quite another when they did it there. If I have to reach to a global audience I'd rather do it through a film on an Indian theme like "Water".

Has it opened doors for you abroad?
I have had offers. But I don't want to proclaim like other actors out here that I am doing a Hollywood project. Here they don't seem to know the difference between Hollywood and any other international project. I wouldn't like to make a fool of myself by making such proclamations. There's no offer that I'd like to talk about. I am considering some. But I am doing none till next year.