Entertainment - In Conversation with John Abraham

Shubha Shetty Saha

John Abraham is shocked at the aftermath of his daring butt baring scene in Dostana.

John Abraham was incommunicado for almost a year now. The affable star hid himself away from the public glare. He says, “It was not that I was hiding from the world after my films didn’t do well. I am being shameless, but nothing affects me. I realised that I was not doing things right. I needed to take a break from experimental movies and take a break for myself to think clearly.”

He says his biggest weakness has always been being not able to pick the right films for himself. But now, that is a thing of the past. With Karan Johar’s Dostana coming up, things are looking upwards.

“Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Karan have been really wonderful. I will work for them
irrespective of anything. Not because they gave me opportunity but because they have an astute sense of how to project me. I trust Adi’s instincts on everything. He is the Bible for me.”

John says he was bowled over by Abhishek, who has consequently become his best pal. “Abhishek is such a secure man. I have taken on such a role only because Abhishek was my co-star. I don’t know how I would carry off something where we are pretending to be gay with some other actor. We look like a beautiful couple,” he laughs.
There is something else that John admires about Abhishek.

“Abhishek and Ash never make a vulgar display of their relationship. They share a beautiful relationship but they don’t feel the need to show it off all the time. I think the same is true of me and Bipasha. There are a lot of couples around who are busy showing off their relationships, so we might as well take a back seat,” he says with a naughty smile.

“I would call our relationship very mature. We are done with the growth stage and have reached the mature stage. That’s the way we want to keep it.”

He says Bipasha and he are made for each other forever. “In our case there is no breaking up ever,” he quickly reaches to touch wood though.

“We are simply happy with each other.”

So what about marriage? “Not on the cards, simply because we have no time. I am off for a year and will be out of town for shooting after March.”

His cool confidence extends to his career too.

“I think I am irreplaceable,” he says with a smile, adding, “Others can try to be like me, but I will not try to be like anybody else.”

However, it seems like it’s his butt baring scene in Dostana which not many can try to emulate.

“I am going to hear no end of that butt,” he says laughing.

“It is so strange that this young girl, about ten years old, came up to me and said she wanted to bite my bum! I was totally shocked. Here I am this big man and this small girl is actually saying that to me! However, I take that as a compliment. In fact, when people say my looks and my body are my USP, I take that as a huge compliment too.”

Ask him if he will continue exposing, and he says in a true filmi style, “I would if the role demands it.” And then tongue-in-cheek, “I would do it anyway.”