Won’t give up experimenting: John Abraham

Actor John Abraham’s date diary is choc-a-bloc with shoots all this year — the actor has as many as seven films in hand. Even when not shooting, the actor will be extensively busy with his ad and film productions that include scripting a film that he hopes to direct too. “I feel like I’m in my best phase ever,” exclaims John, as we catch up with him for a quick tete-a-tete. And as he chats up about his multi-roles as an actor and producer, John reveals that no matter what the mantle, there’re just no boundaries for him when it comes to pushing the envelope!

You are shooting round the clock. Doesn’t girlfriend Priya Runchal complain?
Well, anyone who’s close to me, understands me well enough to know how important my work is for me. So, no, no complaints!

As an actor, you have clicked better in commercial entertainers than in experimental cinema. Are you planning to cut down the risks as far as films go?
No, I am planning to increase the number of the commercial entertainers I do (smiles). Well, I am an adventurer at heart, so just because one outing didn’t work, doesn’t mean I’ll stick to the safe path the next time around. I’ll never give up taking risks. Why my very first production Vicky Donor deals with a topic like sperm donation.
 
So, you are not afraid of failing?
I’ve faced criticism and brickbats right from my initial days as an actor. But I believe in accepting them, with as much dignity as I accepted the bouquets that followed. I have never been afraid of taking risks  and that’s what I will continue doing, whether as an actor or producer. Sure, the ideal combination would be to do films that are both commercial entertainers, but also challenging to me as an actor. But let’s face it. No film comes with a hit guarantee and each time it’s a new gamble. I’m just glad that most times, it has well been worth the risk.

The coming year has you tap almost all genres...
Doing comedy is always fun, but I really love doing hard-core action flicks and dark thrillers too. I like to play characters that have an edge; films, where the protagonist may not always be the good guy.
 
Like Manya Surve, that you play in Shootout At Wadala?
I’ve never played a character like that before, and when Sanjay Gupta (filmmaker) approached me for it, I could see the layers that the character had. It automatically jolted me out of my comfort zone and that’s what I’m always looking out for.

What’s Kala Ghoda about?
That’s a dark political thriller that I’m doing with Aditya Bhattacharya. He’s a brilliant filmmaker, and has that vision that can take a film beyond the expected. His film Raakh (1989 starring Aamir Khan) was so much ahead of its time. It was Bollywood’s loss that he didn’t make films here. I just knew that he had to make Kala Ghoda.