Mumbai: From producing Indian cinema’s first ever film on sperm donation to giving an insight into the iconic nuclear test of Pokhran, supermodel-turned-actor-producer John Abraham has proved he is a perfect mix of brains and brawn. He says he wishes to bring about a change in Indian cinema.
His last release “Parmanu – The Story of Pokhran” had a successful run, and he is now gearing up for the Independence Day release of “Satyameva Jayate”.
“We just had five days of promotion of ‘Parmanu…’ and I am really glad how the film sustained in the theatre for so long, and not only earned money, but respect too. I think the best promotion for a film is the film itself. As a actor-producer, I really want to change our Indian cinema so that people gain that faith to invest time and money on a Friday to go to the theatre to watch a film produced by (my banner) JA Entertainment,” John told IANS in an interview here.
After “Satyameva Jayate”, John has two important projects lined up – “Batla House” and “Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW)”. He says both the movies will give him the opportunity to prove his potential as actor and producer.
“I know for a fact that ‘Batla House’ is a movie that has a superb story and shows today’s India exactly the way it is. People can either like the film or throw it on my face, but the fact is I am making a statement with that film. As a producer, I know what do I really want to do and associate myself with,” he said.
From his 2003 debut film “Jism”, an erotic thriller, to some successful films like “Dhoom”, “Water”, “Taxi No. 9211”, “Kabul Express” and “Dostana” among others, John was most appreciated for his well-built body and strong screen presence.
Was that the reason why he wanted to shift the focus of the audience to his intellect by producing some meaningful cinema?
“Yes, you can say that. Every time people call me to say how amazing I was looking in the film. As an individual, I am very shy to take the compliment and as an actor, I was not getting films that I wanted myself to be associated with. That was the initial reason why I started working towards becoming a producer,” said the actor, who holds a degree in business management.
Asked if having good education helped him to become a better film producer, John said: “If creative people can manage their business well, they would be successful. That is how I manage creative content and commerce.
“As a creative person, I go by instinct but then my business knowledge helps me to execute the creative idea in a commercially viable way,” added John, who had taken to film production with National Award-winning film “Vicky Donor”.
IANS