‘Was told I’m the only man who would be objectified by women,’ says John Abraham

John Abraham has been working in the Hindi film industry for more than two decades now. In this duration, he has been doing all sorts of films—patriotic, comedy, action and cerebral. While films like Garam Masala and Dostana brought out the funny side in him, projects like RAW, Parmanu and Madras Café put the spotlight on him as a ‘thinking actor’.

He was recently interviewed by Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India. It was a freewheeling chat where he answered questions about his thought process, popular perception and how he would want to be known as an actor.

Chopra candidly asked him ‘whether he felt objectified’ in films like Pathaan and Satyameva Jayate? He replied, “I did feel objectified and, in fact, I was told more often than not that John you’re probably the only man who would be objectified by women. In a strange way, I didn’t feel bad about it. I took it as a compliment, I felt good about it but yeah, while usually fighting this battle where it is about the way you look rather than the way you perform! But I think you need to draw balance by choosing the right kind of cinema. That’s why films like Kabul Express, Madras Café and Taxi No 9211, No Smoking try and amplify in that space.”

John Abraham will soon be seen in The Diplomat, which is directed by Shivam Nair. The film also features Sadia Khateeb and Kumud Mishra in important roles. It is scheduled to hit the screens on March 14, 2025.

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