The actor-filmmaker admits to drawing inspiration from Sylvester Stallone's classic screen underdog
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2016)


John Abraham has been working hard to become Bollywood's next action hero. And he is determined to do it the Rocky Balboa way. "Sylvester Stallone is the reason I got into films. I still remember being awestruck when I watched Rocky IV on the big screen for the first time. I wanted to be like him, the underdog with a tough exterior and a soft heart," reminisces the 43-year-old actor.

Given a chance, would he like to show his upcoming actioner, Rocky Handsome, to the Hollywood star? "I'd love to do that. For me, just him watching the film would be validation enough that I exist in this industry because of him," quips John, adding that Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Bruce Willis and Steven Seagal are his idols too. "I love their attitude on screen, that's all that action is about."

In an earlier interview to Mirror (April, 2014) John had excitedly described Rocky Handsome, his home production, which is gearing up for release on March 25 as "Force to the power of 10." The actor admits he's tried to create his own style of action for the adrenaline-pumping film, with hand-to-hand combat being the highlight. "I've also learnt Aikido and Taekwondo for the film," he adds. Ask him if it was difficult to train so extensively as an actor given that it's his own production and he quips, "I have always been a producer's actor, so I am always good to myself."

That strikes one as rather ironic given the fact that John, who has two other high-on-action projects, Dishoom and Force 2, coming out this year had been dogged by injuries in the course of the films' making. After pulling off a fantastic shot for Force 2, the actor-producer had insisted on doing the stunt one more time and ended up hurting his knee and even having to undergo surgery. But like the true-blue filmmaker that he has grown into, John was back at work in less than two months, insisting that an action hero can't be fatalistic about injuries. "I have no time for sympathy. I just need to bounce back; get fitter and stronger. My legs have taken a beating but there is no excuse, I have to fight back," he emphasises, adding that the next schedule of Force 2 begins on April 10. "We'll be done by the month-end, barring five days of work, and will be announcing my next production soon," John promises.