John Abraham Fast Forwards
Once the steamy promos of Jism went on air, life changed for John Abraham. He's now busy shooting round the clock as his other producers are hell-bent on cashing in as quickly as possible on what they are convinced is going to be hot property. Life's running at such a hectic pace that the interview has to be done e.a.r.l.y in the morning because that's the only time he can spare. What's more, he's on time for our appointment. Even if he's still rubbing the sleep away from his eyes as he mutters, "We were shooting till three in the morning and now there's another early morning shift... But I'm not complaining about anything but lack of sleep."
All this thanks to the sizzling promos of Jism. "HOT is the general reaction for the promos," he grins. "And wait for the promos which Pooja Bhatt is going to come up with later, which will show the essence of the film. The ones currently on are those made by the music company."
So are we going to see steamier stuff in the next round? John smiles as he sounds a not of caution. "The title Jism does tend to indicate a steamy movie. But believe me, it isn't all about sex. It's a very emotional film dealing with an adult relationship. The film's about a married woman's affair with a lawyer who's a Casanova. It's about today's society. Most of the love stories in Hindi movies are very insipid. This is the first time that the theme has been dealt with very, very boldly."
Am I in a relationship today? When I get married, I'll
know whether I was in a relationship or not
Hmmm... he looks as if he enjoyed every moment of those bold scenes. "True, there are passionate scenes," he smiles. "I was very comfortable with Bipasha (Basu) because we have known each other as models. The comfort level helped." In fact, he says, "Jism was the perfect launch for me in terms of the production set-up too. Producer Pooja Bhatt's sensibilities are absolutely on my wavelength. Mahesh Bhatt pampered me throughout the making of the film, which helped boost my confidence. He even directed me in some scenes which required intense emotions. Also, Bipasha is the perfect co-star. Everything seems so right now."
So much so that he's not in the least bit nervous about his first release. "Honestly, I'd have been nervous if 96 per cent of the films being released today were hits and four per cent were flops. But considering the present scenario, Jism has already done well on paper. I hope my performance speaks for me. Appreciation and audience acceptance are important to me."
I know I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan but I can move
gracefully and there's rhythm in my body
Appreciation... er... The buzz is that John's dancing and Hindi diction are a cause for concern. No way, he says. "Though there are many other things I'm not good at. Fortunately for me, Jism didn't require me to do any dance numbers. I know I can't dance like Hrithik Roshan but I certainly don't have two left feet. I can move gracefully and there's rhythm in my body."
As for his Hindi, John insists it's as good as that of any other guy on the street. "My name is more of a problem than my Hindi," he sighs. "It's given the wrong impression. Hey, I don't speak only English at home or eat nothing but pizzas and burgers.
Please, mein dal chawal khata hoon. Some of my words may come with an accent but that can be corrected at the dubbing stage." He does agree however that he doesn't quite fit into the mould of the conventional Hindi film hero. "In Jism I don't come across as totally Indian," he reveals. "But anyway, what does a hero need? A body? I have one and I try to maintain it. A face? I have an average face too. I don't see where I fall short of being a hero. In my next film (choreographer Ahmed Khan's debut film as director), I'm playing a hero in the true sense of the word, bulging biceps and all."
After a moment of reflection, he says, "Actually, the conventional hero barely exists today. The real hero of the film is first the script and then the director. All the films I've signed have different storylines. In Vikram Bhatt's Aitbaar I play an obsessive lover. Mukesh Bhatt's Saaya and Ahmed Khan's untitled film are interesting subjects too. I'm not going crazy signing films out of any sense of insecurity. I want to do films which are sensible."
My name gives the wrong impression. Hey, I don't speak only English at home or eat nothing but pizzas and burgers. Please,mein dal chawal khaata hoon
What about his modelling career? Is that on hold, abandoned or what? John grins, "Today, most of the major campaigns are being done by film stars so I decided I had better get into films if I have to continue modelling." Then continues, "I was offered my first film after my first music video for Pankaj Udhas' Chupke Chupke. But I bided my time because I didn't want to be just a flicker as a model or as an actor. I proud to say that I was a relatively successful model. Being a known face makes a difference in terms of equity. Also, I used the time to hone my skills as an actor."
He goes on, "I'm not a histrionics person but I've a cool, relaxed manner about me. With my size and stubble I look very macho but believe me, I'm a total softy. I'm all heart and romance. I feel everything should be as in a Utopian world. But it doesn't happen that way. That's why I'm constantly in a stage of marginal stress."
Could part of that stress come from his Casanova image? "I'm aware that people think I'm wild. Perhaps I've given them reason to think so,"he concedes. Then adds, "To be honest, I enjoy female attention. Considering the profession I'm in, I should be worried if I don't attract attention." He admits sheepishly that women proposition him. "There have been a few girls who've propositioned me but I've smiled off the invitation," he confesses. "I tell them that when they have a boyfriend, they'll realise how stupid they've been. But questions about his current lady love, Bipasha Basu, are dismissed with a cryptic "I don't want to talk about this." Then he relents to say, "Bipasha's a very sweet, honest and helpful girl. She's been there for me. I just hope our chemistry works on screen, that we make a successful pairing."
He even evades questions about being in a relationship. "I believe in marriage. I like the idea of being married. If there's an end to my relationship, I hope that end is marriage. There's no point in getting in and out of relationships. If there's no stability, I'd rather be going out with every woman I want to. Am I in a relationship today? When I get married, I'll know whether I was in a relationship or not."
What he will admit to is a relationship with actress Riya Sen, which went kaput some time ago. "As of now, there's no bad blood between us even though we haven't been in touch. When we do bump into each other, I'm sure we'll be cordial. Everything happens for the best," he shrugs. We've run out of John's precious time by now, and he winds up our conversation by summing up his mood: "I'm in a state of limbo right now. It's only work that I'm concerned about; everything else takes a backseat."
Mahima plays John's friend who supports him emotionally during his trauma. The Bhatts seem to have found a lucky mascot in John after Jism. Tara seems to be getting most of her Bollywood roles as replacements. First Om Jai Jagdish where she stepped in when Diya Mirza left as a co-star for the Chota B and now Saaya where she replaces Katrina Kaif. Since the role here needed someone to look innocent I doubt if Kaif would have been able to carry it off!
