There are many people out there who wonder what John Abraham is doing in films bound for film festivals?
They said the same thing when Deepa Mehta signed me for Water.
Does such reaction upset you?
Not really. What is the point of getting upset? Instead, I try to do a better job as an actor, work with demanding filmmakers and disprove my critics.
Deepa Mehta is surely one of the directors you admire most, isn't it?
Certainly. That is why last year at the press conference for Water, I said (referring to the controversies about the film) that for me it was more important to have her name on my CV than worrying about the controversies.
You are working in her new film centered on the Komatagata Maru episode (in which scores of would be immigrants from India were stopped from disembarking in Vancouver because of British pressure). What is your role in the film?
The script is not completely ready. But I believe I will play a character that has shades of Bhagat Singh. There is bravery, complexity and intrigue in my character. It would be one of the most challenging roles I would be playing in the near future. And being reunited with Deepa is also a great pleasure.
Water is the highest grossing Hindi language film of all times. It has grossed about $5.4 million in North America. Were you surprised at its success?
Surely and I am very pleased, to say the least. All the credit goes to Deepa Mehta who never wavered in her commitment, and directed us with such enthusiasm that we felt and correctly so that we were working in an extraordinary film.
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