‘I fight my own battles’: John Abraham on why he won't let anyone harm his reputation

In the decade-and-a-half that John Abraham has been in the film industry, one thing that most people have noticed about him is that he doesn’t mince his words. When we meet the actor-producer, who is just out of a long legal battle over his production venture, Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran that releases this Friday, he says the fight was ‘worth all the pain’. 

Prod him further and he elaborates, “My director, my team and I have worked hard on the film. Many years of research has gone into it. Parmanu is not a proposal, but a story that needed to reach out to every strata of the audience and tell them that if you feel proud to be an Indian today, it’s because of what happened on May 11, 1998. Fortunately, the court judgment came on May 10 this year, and we launched our trailer on May 11 at 3:45 pm sharp, exactly the same time the tests were conducted 20 years ago. When you see Parmanu, you will understand why the story needed to be told.” 

Excerpts from the interview… 

Now that the film is finally hitting the marquee, what are the thoughts running through your mind? 

I haven’t had enough time to promote the film. The fact that the movie is releasing is a miracle in itself. I’m thankful to the honourable High Court for meting out justice and validating what I have gone through. The verdict is a relief on many fronts and most importantly, we’re here to see the film through. 

Did you get any support from the film industry? 

The industry wished well for me. Somewhere it was said that I was disappointed. But the fact is that I’m a very rational human being. When you are fighting a battle, it’s each man to himself. What would I expect from others? To hold my hand and stand in front of the court?   

What did this whole episode teach you? 

The experience taught something not just to me, but the entire industry. If you are honest in your dealings and something wrong happens, go to court and have faith in the judicial system.

Overall, I learnt about a lot of things right from conceptualisation to drafts, pre-production, post-production and every header in P&A (Prints and Advertising). I got a crash course (laughs)... It taught me to choose my partners well, do a background check, where their money comes from and what they do with it because you’re talking about a high-value product. Whether it’s a Rs 35 cr, Rs 15 cr or even a Rs 5 cr film, be careful who you choose to work with. 

Has it also shown you who your friends are in the industry? 

I don’t need this experience to realise who my friends are. However, people have been extremely supportive of me, Karan (Johar), Nana (Patekar) and even Arjun Rampal called me. And I appreciate that. I fight my own battles. I’m not a guy with fatalistic attitude, I’m a survivor. 

After the verdict, you must have got many congratulatory calls from the fraternity? 

Everyone was thanking me saying, ‘You have single-handedly cleared the mess’. I was like, I’m moving on. I’ve only one thing to say; it’s my credibility before my career. Don’t mess with my name. 

What prompted you to produce Parmanu, besides acting in it? 

The movies that I back must have an element of risk. My job as a producer is to marry commerce with content, which is also my USP. Parmanu doesn’t educate, it entertains you. It’s an edge-of-the-seat thriller. When you walk out of the theatre after watching the film, you will feel proud to be an Indian. 

You have previously backed and acted in Madras Café (2013). So are you drawn towards real stories or a historic event that not many are well aware of?

I like non-formula films, not just true stories. I’d like to do something fictional as well, something that is off the cuff and different as a producer. I feel safe as an actor because I have my banner — JA Entertainment. My scripts are curated, because my development head is not a corporate person, but a writer (Sanyukta Chawla Shaikh) who wrote Neerja (2016) and Parmanu. You can have the fanciest restaurant, but if the chef is not good, then the food will not be good either. I can’t make proposals, I can make films. 

That thought seems to continue as you’ve signed up for RAW: Romeo Akbar Walter and Batla House.

It’s coincidental that RAW and Batla House are two of the most powerful scripts I heard after Parmanu. I thank Nikhil (Advani) for bestowing that faith in me and giving me Batla House. RAW will be the most challenging film that I have done so far. I’m nervous getting into it because director Robbie Grewal is so prepared. I worked with Kabir Khan in Kabul Express (2006) when he was just a war documentary filmmaker and did Madras Café with Shoojit Sircar when Yahaan (2005) and Vicky Donor (2012) had released. Robbie will be big soon (smiles). 

For someone who has made Tere Bin Laden (2010), The Shaukeens (2014) and Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive (2016), what made you confident about Abhishek Sharma helming a subject like Parmanu? 

There was no one better who could make the film the way Abhishek has researched and made it. His range is fantastic and it comes from him being well-read, knowledgeable and having a good sense of humour. The best directors are the nicest people. And he has brought about that honesty and niceness in Parmanu. 

Some years ago when social media had just about started, you had said that you weren’t interested in sharing every little thing about yourself on a public platform. Considering that you are now on Twitter, what’s your take on this medium? 

I could be completely wrong, but I believe there will be a time when most celebrities will get off social media due to so much intrusion and invasion in their lives. However, there are two sides to it. Celebs can choose to be open about what they want to post. I’m not saying the platform is bad, but there are so many social causes you can address through this medium. I believe in doing good for the society than myself.