Birthday Special: When John Abraham claimed, “Sometimes I do feel like a meat shop”

Back in 2008 when Karan Johar’s Dostana had released, John Abraham frolicking on the beach in the briefest of briefs went viral. John was never ashamed of his physique: why would he, when he looked like a Playboy centrespread from the day he was born (well, almost). But he did want to prove that good-looking people are not just eye candy.

In a moment of anguished self-assertion he said to me, “Sometimes I do feel like a meat shop. I am proud of my physique. But I feel I'm also good with emotions. In fact, I perform the best when I'm unhappy. I function best when in angst. Women have reacted as strongly to me as men. Some have reacted to the sensuality; others to the fitness. But everyone has a query about my body. Very often I don't know how to react. Initially, it was fun to be regarded as a body beautiful. I wonder how audiences will react to my physicality in my next release Aashayein where I've lost 30 pounds.”

Nagesh Kukunoor’s Aashayein where he played a successful man who suddenly discovers he has cancer, bombed. A buttoned-up counter-invincible John Abraham was unacceptable to the audience.

Even I believed John was destined for beefcake glory only. When my dear friend Deepa Mehta decided to cast him as a dhoti-clad social reformist in Water I was aghast. I did my best to dissuade her. Deepa and I still have a good laugh over my heated protest against what I saw as a monstrous miscasting.

Recalls Deepa, “Do you remember how much you fought with me? When I told you I want to cast John and Lisa Ray you said it was the worst joke you’ve ever heard. That John had probably never even seen a Dhoti, let alone worn one. I had only one argument to offer: my mother loves John.”

As usual the maternal instinct proved right. John for the first time showed sparks of genuine craftsmanship in Deepa’s film. That performance was followed by Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Café .John was a producer on the project. He was ambitious and hell-bent to make a difference to Indian cinema.

I believe John Abraham and the late much-missed Nishikant Kamat shared a very special rapport. They did several films together of which Rocky Handsome was the best. Heroes are born out of necessity. And John Abraham is a true blue filmy hero. Fully wired for action. Happy Birthday!

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Raksha Bandhan actress Sadia Khateeb bags John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat

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