John Abraham: Let's Get Physical

John Abraham is all set to set ignite the screen with kicks and punches, not to mention his lean, mean abs. He talks to Filmfare about being an action star and why the industry should tap fresh talent…

Chiselled abs, mammoth arms, a rough exterior... and he’s also handsome to boot — no wonder his upcoming film is called Rocky Handsome. Wait, Johnny Handsome would have been a far cooler title na? But that has romantic connotations while Rocky Handsome is a hardcore action film inspired by action thriller Man From Nowhere. John isn’t apologetic about working in a remake. He gruffly answers that his director Nishikant Kamat has put much of his own vision into the storyline. He informs that while the film does have stylised action it has an emotional core too. Action is seen something of a sure bet in the film industry... after sex and of course, Shah Rukh Khan. And John seems to have found his niche in punching out bad guys and jumping off fast moving cars.

One constant for action stars is a ripped body. Even action superstars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger have to sweat it out every day to look good on screen. In fact, they happen to look superfit despite their advancing years. Pumping iron seems to be John’s religion too. His day doesn’t seem right if he hasn’t indulged in some kind of a workout, even when he’s shooting out of Mumbai. Apparently, he carries some functional training equipment in his van and hunting for a gym becomes his first priority when he shoots abroad. “I try to stay fit through the year. All my films this year and the next have some action in them. So, it’s important that I stay this way.”