By movietalkies 

He's half Malayali, half Parsi and a total delight. John Abraham speaks German, regrets not learning Malayalam, desires yet another fancy bike and admits to being sexually progressive. AJIT RAMACHANDDRAN explores facets of the hunkster who's turned all geek for his forthcoming flick 'Jhootha Hi Sahi'….

He's one helluva drool worthy dude. Eyeballs pop, heads turn and thrills peak as a figure togged up in a black tee, denims and smart shoes strides into the confines of a five star hotel in suburban Mumbai.

John Abraham.

Stylish swagger. Dimpled smile. Sexy stubble. And loads of charm.

Minutes later, the actor is affably beaming away for keepsake pics alongside the hotel staff, who are clearly smitten by JA.

The actor's physicality, which soared and scored with 'Dostana', has catapulted him to top bracket and John Abraham has consistently showed up in all possible lists of good looking smashers in Asia.

And yet, he's turned all ordinary, and truly more of a nerd for Abbas Tyrewala's 'Jhootha Hi Sahi', which illumines John as a habitual liar alongside Pakhi. From good looking to geek? Without wasting moments, you initiate the actor into inter phew mode, quizzing him about this volte face… and lots more.

Excerpts from a chat with the Sagittarian star…

'Dostana' made you a gay icon and Bipasha mentioned that the increasing male attention was making her insecure. Assuming Bipasha acted in a lesbian film and gained a lot of female attention, would you feel insecure?

I would love it! I find one woman beautiful. I would find two women even more beautiful. I find nothing wrong and respect people's feelings; there is a community out there we should respect. I feel rather happy that I am liked by everyone. I take it as a big compliment. I need to connect to my whole audience and not just one community.

But you've gone from good looking to geek in 'Jhootha Hi Sahi'. How would you describe your character Siddharth in the film?

Siddharth was a guy who was probably fat when he was a kid. He grows up to be very shy. When he sees a woman he stammers and can't really speak up his mind and he ends up lying and lying more to cover up his one lie. They say you have to lie a 1000 times to cover up your one lie and that's what Siddharth does. I was pretty much like that when I was young I never really knew how to approach a woman. I think it's a common Indian man trait as we are all scared of rejection. So I guess Siddharth is someone who is very relatable to the public.

Two months prior to the filming of 'JHS', Abbas Tyrewala gifted you this book called 'The Art Of Lying'. Besides, you've stated that he also helped you become a better liar. Give me three tips to becoming a good liar….

How to be a good liar..? Just look straight faced into the other person's face. Do not bat an eyelid. Do not blink, just look there. Don't raise your voice when you're speaking to the other person, you sound less convincing… speak at a normal pace. Keep smiling.

The film was earlier titled '1 800 LOVE' and now it's 'Jhoota Hi Sahi.' Whose idea was it?

Well, '1 800 LOVE ' was the most popular concept among my producer, director and me and we wanted to go with the title till we came back to India after the shoot. The media, just like all of you, asked us how was it shooting '18000 LOVE' or '8000 LOVE' or '1800 LOVE' and we realised that the concept doesn't exist in our country, people aren't really familiar with the term of '1 800 LOVE' which is a toll free number. So we decided to change the title to 'Jhoota Hi Sahi'.

What attracted you to the script in the first place, considering you're the co producer of the film too?

What attracted me to the script was the idea itself. It was a brilliant idea, a great story and I said who better than Abbas Tyerwala to direct the film. It's just a perfect marriage of a great script and great director.

What do you feel is Abbas's strongpoint as a director?

Abbas' strength as a director is his intuitiveness to understand what his actor wants. If his actor wants space, he will give his actor space. If his actor wants time, he'll give him time. He comes and sits with the actor and looks into the actor's eyes, explains the entire process, the script narration lines, the scene to the actor and he does not want the actor to be disturbed. So I would say Abbas' biggest strength is that just like I believe I am a director's actor, Abbas is an actor's director. He's a dream director.

Usually an actor gets to work with a director's girlfriend or mistress. This time around, its the director's wife. Was it a little unsettling for you as an actor?

No. In fact, I asked Pakhi to be cast in the film because I just loved the way she narrated the film to me and when my producer, my good friend Madhu Mantena, asked me who do you think should be cast in the film I said why not this pretty girl who narrated the film to us? That was Pakhi and it was perfect casting. We needed this pretty cute girl who works in a DVD store next door and Pakhi just suited that absolutely right. Also, with Pakhi there was no question of home work because she wrote the film and she understood the skin of the characer very well.

What would you say is the USP of the film?

I would say the film in totality is the USP of this film. It's not a proposal, it's not about actors coming together with great music, etc. It's an honest film, it's not a first three day con job and I think people will learn to appreciate a good film.

How would you describe Pakhi as a co actor and as a person?

Oh, Pakhi is a sweet heart and she kept calling me 'John Sir', I don't understand why. She is a lovely person but Pakhi had her point of view because she has written the script. She would see Siddharth going in a certain way and she would say Siddharth is straying away, but not once did she correct me. Pakhi would go to my director and whisper into his ears. She'd say this is not the way. Then the director would come and talk to me. I think she demarcated both the spaces very well as an actress… she was there in front of me performing as a writer, she was there for my director and last she was his wife. That was third on her list of priorities and wasn't important.

Any unforgettable memory associated with the making of 'Jhootha Hi Sahi'?

One in my mind is the climax scene where I am running on the road, the camera is in front of me and my friends are in the car and I jump into the car. It was very life threatening because had I jumped wrong, I would have been below the car. So my friends are breathing a sigh of relief. That's one of the best shots in the film because we have actually captured those expressions where Raghu my best friend in the film, he's called Omar says, 'What the hell where you doing'. It's exactly that because I get carried away with the action and just get excited. There are many such scenes like that. We had a lot of good times in the film.

The film also explored and showed to the world a new side of you as a doodler, a cartoonist, a caricaturist. You created 'Jhootha John'. How did that happen?

I just subconsciously sketched something and from there on my producer said 'it's very interesting'. I said 'ya ya, make it into a comic strip' and he really made it into a comic strip because he takes my words very literally! He also did that with the launch of the name 'Jhootha Hi Sahi' when we launched it the first time, the billboard. He said 'John you got to go to the bookstore and tear the cover out' and I said 'Are you crazy? I want to tear the canopy of a billboard'. Next I knew, I was on the billboard tearing off the canopy! So my producer is very literal and I must say Madhu Mantena and HMV have been absolutely wonderful producers. Given an opportunity I would love to work with them again, if they would like to work with me.

Your bookstore in the movie is called 'Kagaz Ke Phool'. If you were to go back in time and be reborn as a yesteryear hero who would it be and why?

I would say Guru Dutt as there is certain angst in the way in which he performed and there is a certain look in his eyes. I think the romance and the tragedy in his expressions was most, most, most amazing.

You had started of as a media planner in Enterprise Nexus, you did your MBA too, but all your devising strategies and media planning have come in rather late. Don't you think you should have started off earlier?

I am a late bloomer in everything. I age late, I grew up late, everything happens probably five to ten years late in my life for me and that's good, because I believe I will live five to ten years later than the others. My friend's kids will be calling me 'John' and will be calling their father's friends as 'Uncle' and I feel great to be young.

In 1999, you were the first runner up at the Gladrags contest…

No, I was the winner. 1999 I won Gladrags, I was the first runner up in the 'International Man Hunt' in Manila.

Your personal website mentions you as "first runner up in the Gladrags" contest…

(frowns) Really… need to check on that one…

September 2002 you were called by Mahesh Bhatt to do 'Jism' but in the interim you were also called for a Pritish Nandy film. Is that true? Whatever happened to that film?

Yes, that's true. Well, that film was directed by Rahul Rawail. We shot a few frames, shot for a few days and then the film got cancelled because of some problems with the producer. In the meanwhile, Vikram Bhatt called me for Mahesh Bhatt and he said he wanted to do a film with me called 'Aitbaar' which had Bipasha Basu. 'Jism' was supposed to be shot with Diana Hayden and Diana Hayden was finalised for the film and Bipasha Basu was supposed to go for a world tour and her world tour got cancelled. Pooja Bhatt said I want Bipasha Basu for this film and luckily for me, Bipasha Basu did 'Jism' or I wouldn't be where I am today, because I completely owe the success of 'Jism' to Bipasha Basu. She was there and we did the film, but 'Aitbaar' was the first film I signed with her.

You have 90 per cent blockages in your nose… and a breathing problem? Your brother Alan dropped you when you were child and you fell flat on your nose. Is that how this whole problem came about?

Oh wow, that kind of information is amazing! No, I guess I don't know whether that's the reason. But I have got something called DNS… Deviated Nasal Septum. So I have got a practically closed nose and so I breathe with my mouth. That's why I'm always breathing heavily. But yes, my brother carried me on his shoulders and dropped me on my nose. That is why I have got a crooked nose and I blame him for it. Honestly, for my brother and me… looks are subjective. People feel I'm an averagely decent enough looking, but I think my brother is the real good looking guy of the lot.

Would you like to bring Alan into films?

He was offered a role and then he disappeared from our lives for a long time, because he cannot stand in front of the camera!

So we have lost another good looking hero?

I think we have lost one good looking man in the industry and he is 6.2½.

You're associated with PETA and 'Make a Wish Foundation'. Which are the other organisations you would like to work for?

I am also working for 'Habitat For Humanity' which is a Jimmy Carter Work Foundation. We build homes for the poor across villages, we feel the need better homes and a town planning. Last year, we built homes for about 50,000 people, but it's very important to say I have got a brigade called 'John's Brigade' which are a group of youngsters who actually come and build homes. I must give credit to Mrs. Rajshree Birla because she is responsible for convening the meetings and giving all the raw materials like cement, etc. for the homes. And Ask Financials Chairman, that is Asit Koticha who has given 10 million$! Nobody gives that kind of money today because our human nature is when you get money, you want to keep more. But this man gives generously, I think it's great to be associated with 'Habitat'.

You have four bikes already. Which is the one bike you would like to have which you don't have as yet?

I would like to have an MV Agusta F4, it's a super bike and it's the fastest production motorbike in the world. It has speeds of about 130 to 140 km/hr. whether I can go that fast or no is immaterial. I just want to have that bike and I want to hear the sound of the engine.

You've mentioned 'dhansak' and 'patra ni machchi' from Parsi cuisine as your comfort foods. How come you don't mention 'avial' the dish from Kerala cuisine which used to be one of your favourites earlier?

Oh no, I always mention that Kerala breakfast is my most favorite breakfast and 'puttu' is my most favorite dish in the world. I also love all kinds of 'appams'. If you ask me, I could just live on Kerala breakfast alone and that's my Mallu breakfast. My mom is not a Mallu, but she makes the best 'aviyal' in the world. I love my mom's 'aviyal.'

You speak fluent German… is that true?

I could understand a little German before and now I speak a little German now, so I can just about understand. I learnt German a long time ago (speaks a few lines in German).

Your dad is a Malayali Syrian Christian. How much of Malayalam do you know?

Korechu korechu (meaning little, little)

Why only korechu korechu?

That's the one thing I really regret in life. Being born and bought up in Mumbai, I was closer to my mother's side. I can speak Guajarati fluently, but I haven't really had an opportunity to speak to my father's side and my father and mother always spoke in English. I still regret not being able to learn Malayalam though I would love to learn Malayalam and would also love to do a film down south.

Have you been offered a full fledged Malayalam film, or maybe a special or guest appearance? There was something to that effect… but it did not happen…

You're a method actor in commercial cinema.. you lost 20kgs for 'Aashayein', smoked 80 cigarettes for 'No Smoking' and worked out for five to six hours religiously for two of your films, which lead to muscle fatigue, as per media reports. Were you advised by doctors to stop training and exercising?

There was a misrepresentation in the Press that I have got muscle fatigue and that doctors said that could lead to neurological disorders. When I was asked what the problem was, all I said was that I'm only tired of working out. I just need a two day break. I take my fitness seriously. I know when my body is damaged. Now, I'm at the fittest stage of my life. I have been through a lot of bone damage and I credit myself for have bodily reached where I have with all the handicaps.

You designed a game called 'Velocity' for mobile phones. Any more of such ones on the cards?

'Velocity' was a game that I designed very long ago. I was the first one to conceptualise that game and it didn't happen the way I wanted it to. Today, you see the advent of games. I was also the first guy to have a website in 1997 98.

Turning model from an MBA background must have been quite a cultural shock for you, because models are generally dudes who're considered to be idiots…

(laughs) I think you put it pretty bluntly. But yes, I was treated as someone who has got no brains when I entered modelling. It took me a while to put forth to people that I am educated, after which I got a lot of respect from them. Also, my projection as an actor has been very subtle. That's the reason I have always been underrated as an actor, it's always been the case that I had done the role then but the perception is changing now. I believe it's important to be a trend setter rather than a follower.

You had Deepa Mehta as a director for 'Water', the first 'woman director', so to say. Is that a different experience as an actor? What does a woman bring to the craft of direction that is so different from that of a male director?

Experience is great. I think women directors, especially women writers are exceptional and I love to work with them. Pooja Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt have just asked me whether I would like to do 'Jism 2' and very impulsively I said 'Yes'. Very soon I am going to listen to the script and I hope I like it and get to do it.

Most actors like to shed off their middle class image, once they've made it big. But you seem to hold on to the 'middle class hero' bit…

I think it is my upbringing and the values given to me by my parents, the education they have given me and I don't think a few extra rupees is going to change the way I think. I am a middle class person in my head. I am very proud to be in the film industry, but I am also proud to be the general representation of the audience in the industry. The audience feels that one of us is standing out there and that is John Abraham and that makes me very proud. My parents have worked very hard to reach where they are and me too. I thank my audience and they are just outstanding people to have supported me.

Considering you don't come from a film background at all, in retrospect, are you happy with the career moves that you you've taken?

I don't regret anything. I think regret is a passé thing. Learn from your mistakes rather than regret. I think now I'm not going to be doing films that are proposals. I am going to be doing films that are going to appeal to my gut on the first instinct, as all films that have appealed to my gut on the first instinct have worked.