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I hope Priyanka Gandhi or Narendra Modi is our next PM: John Abraham
John Abraham prides himself on being a middle-class boy. At 40, while he is still high on bikes, he has become more stable and focused. Ahead of his upcoming release 'Madras Cafe', he speaks to TOI about his choice of Prime Minister, why he doesn't perform at award functions and how he is now attracted to only one woman. Excerpts:
After Vicky Donor, you and Shoojit Sircar are working together again. What is Shoojit like? He is the hero of the film. The man is so confident about his art that you feel, even if you jump off a cliff, he will hold you. He is both an actor's and a producer's director and is a one-man army. I am privileged to work with him. He only wants to run back to his children, play football and it's amazing how unaffected he is by success. I hope he stays that way. He is earthy and organic. He believes that content is more important than a proposal. Madras Cafe is being true to that and we are presenting a story that the audience must know. This is a chapter in Indian history set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan crisis that must be told and is the story about an Indian soldier sent to Jaffna. It's a hardcore commercial film made as an Indian film that will be also promoted in non-traditional markets like Germany, Poland, North America and China. We want it to earn us respect. Making money will only be a by-product.
Is Madras Cafe based on the assassination of our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi? We are clear that this is a work of fiction that is inspired by true incidents. The film is based on the assassination of a national leader. If you want to assume it is Rajiv Gandhi, you can, but for us, it is a national leader. During the Sri Lankan crisis, the assassination was one of the most important facets that took place during that time. I remember waking up on May 21 and finding my mother crying while opening the curtains. I asked her, 'What happened?' and she said, 'Rajiv Gandhi has been killed.' That really affected me and that is vivid in my head.
Are you politically inclined? I am apolitical but am politically aware of the scenario across the world. I don't have any political inclination towards any party. For me, an image of a politician has always been negative and while I have thought of roughing up certain politicians, I don't know if I ever want to be a part of it. I was once asked by a senior politician to campaign for him, but I told him, 'Sir, I have no idea what you are up to and if people get influenced by what I am saying and vote for you, then I will be responsible.' In 2014, I hope we have a stable government and not a coalition one.
Who would be your choice of Prime Minister? If the Congress comes to power, the one woman I have a lot of faith in, is Priyanka Gandhi. She is a powerhouse. And if the opposition comes to power, Narendra Modi is really able. I believe he is not the Chief Minister of Gujarat but the CEO of the state.
Nargis Fakhri's character is allegedly based on the character of Anita Pratap, where she plays a foreign journalist. How was she to work with? She is an energetic co-star and is the nicest human being. We used Nargis to her strength and she has done a fabulous job. She is a wonderful actor and just needed someone to give her back the confidence she needed after her first film. She will be a revelation in this film.
Do you agree that you are best suited for action? Yes, it's a fact. And I am the weakest in a romcom. I have positioned myself as an intense action guy and work well in that space. I love breaking bones, including my own, which I end up doing every three months. My orthopaedic surgeon is always surprised at the rate at which I break my bones and always tells me, 'Why don't you put me on a retainership?'
We have not heard about you performing at award functions or marriages. Why? I will not perform at marriages and birthday parties as I feel it lowers my credibility. I may have to eat my words, but I will not perform for an awards function as it takes away from the actual awards. Other actors do it and I respect them for doing that, but I will not do that.
Even at 40, you are still crazy about your bikes. It's similar to how the ladies are fond of bags and shoes. My trainer always tells me, 'You are 40 but have the body of a 24-year-old and a mind of an 18-year-old.' I love that space. I am an outdoors person and love jumping around, love motorcyling and outdoor sports. I love taking a rickshaw many times as I love the feeling of staying on the edge and struggling even though I may have made an ample amount of money. I have grown up as a middle-class person and it is too late to change my mindset. I think it's a manly thing to have a motorcycle and it's a lot of testosterone, too. I am, in fact, planning my next two babies post the rains. You can't take a bike out of John Abraham or John Abraham out of a bike.
Have you changed vis-a-vis women? Yes. I have become more stable in life and my focus has totally shifted to work. I spend 18 hours a day either shooting or talking about production. I feel much more settled and am attracted to only one woman.
You have this perception of being commercially savvy. Is that true? I won't lose money because I am conscientious and smart while producing films. I want to produce content and make good films. I don't want to make proposals. My studios have faith in me as I am honest, don't overprice my films and guarantee them great content. Two years ago, I told some banker friends, 'The rupee will touch 60 to a dollar' and they were laughing at me. Recently when the rupee touched 60 to a dollar, I told them, 'It won't be long before the rupee touches 75.'
John Abraham prides himself on being a middle-class boy. At 40, while he is still high on bikes, he has become more stable and focused. Ahead of his upcoming release 'Madras Cafe', he speaks to TOI about his choice of Prime Minister, why he doesn't perform at award functions and how he is now attracted to only one woman. Excerpts:
After Vicky Donor, you and Shoojit Sircar are working together again. What is Shoojit like? He is the hero of the film. The man is so confident about his art that you feel, even if you jump off a cliff, he will hold you. He is both an actor's and a producer's director and is a one-man army. I am privileged to work with him. He only wants to run back to his children, play football and it's amazing how unaffected he is by success. I hope he stays that way. He is earthy and organic. He believes that content is more important than a proposal. Madras Cafe is being true to that and we are presenting a story that the audience must know. This is a chapter in Indian history set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan crisis that must be told and is the story about an Indian soldier sent to Jaffna. It's a hardcore commercial film made as an Indian film that will be also promoted in non-traditional markets like Germany, Poland, North America and China. We want it to earn us respect. Making money will only be a by-product.
Is Madras Cafe based on the assassination of our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi? We are clear that this is a work of fiction that is inspired by true incidents. The film is based on the assassination of a national leader. If you want to assume it is Rajiv Gandhi, you can, but for us, it is a national leader. During the Sri Lankan crisis, the assassination was one of the most important facets that took place during that time. I remember waking up on May 21 and finding my mother crying while opening the curtains. I asked her, 'What happened?' and she said, 'Rajiv Gandhi has been killed.' That really affected me and that is vivid in my head.
Are you politically inclined? I am apolitical but am politically aware of the scenario across the world. I don't have any political inclination towards any party. For me, an image of a politician has always been negative and while I have thought of roughing up certain politicians, I don't know if I ever want to be a part of it. I was once asked by a senior politician to campaign for him, but I told him, 'Sir, I have no idea what you are up to and if people get influenced by what I am saying and vote for you, then I will be responsible.' In 2014, I hope we have a stable government and not a coalition one.
Who would be your choice of Prime Minister? If the Congress comes to power, the one woman I have a lot of faith in, is Priyanka Gandhi. She is a powerhouse. And if the opposition comes to power, Narendra Modi is really able. I believe he is not the Chief Minister of Gujarat but the CEO of the state.
Nargis Fakhri's character is allegedly based on the character of Anita Pratap, where she plays a foreign journalist. How was she to work with? She is an energetic co-star and is the nicest human being. We used Nargis to her strength and she has done a fabulous job. She is a wonderful actor and just needed someone to give her back the confidence she needed after her first film. She will be a revelation in this film.
Do you agree that you are best suited for action? Yes, it's a fact. And I am the weakest in a romcom. I have positioned myself as an intense action guy and work well in that space. I love breaking bones, including my own, which I end up doing every three months. My orthopaedic surgeon is always surprised at the rate at which I break my bones and always tells me, 'Why don't you put me on a retainership?'
We have not heard about you performing at award functions or marriages. Why? I will not perform at marriages and birthday parties as I feel it lowers my credibility. I may have to eat my words, but I will not perform for an awards function as it takes away from the actual awards. Other actors do it and I respect them for doing that, but I will not do that.
Even at 40, you are still crazy about your bikes. It's similar to how the ladies are fond of bags and shoes. My trainer always tells me, 'You are 40 but have the body of a 24-year-old and a mind of an 18-year-old.' I love that space. I am an outdoors person and love jumping around, love motorcyling and outdoor sports. I love taking a rickshaw many times as I love the feeling of staying on the edge and struggling even though I may have made an ample amount of money. I have grown up as a middle-class person and it is too late to change my mindset. I think it's a manly thing to have a motorcycle and it's a lot of testosterone, too. I am, in fact, planning my next two babies post the rains. You can't take a bike out of John Abraham or John Abraham out of a bike.
Have you changed vis-a-vis women? Yes. I have become more stable in life and my focus has totally shifted to work. I spend 18 hours a day either shooting or talking about production. I feel much more settled and am attracted to only one woman.
You have this perception of being commercially savvy. Is that true? I won't lose money because I am conscientious and smart while producing films. I want to produce content and make good films. I don't want to make proposals. My studios have faith in me as I am honest, don't overprice my films and guarantee them great content. Two years ago, I told some banker friends, 'The rupee will touch 60 to a dollar' and they were laughing at me. Recently when the rupee touched 60 to a dollar, I told them, 'It won't be long before the rupee touches 75.'
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