John Abraham discusses why he followed up his hard-hitting offerings with a laugh riot in Pagalpanti, makes a case for mindless comedies
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 21, 2019)

Pagalpanti almost immediately stands out in John Abraham's resume — after all, the actor seemed to have found his niche in patriotic films that included Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran (2018), Satyameva Jayate (2018) and Batla House. Tell him it's surprising to see him in a comedy, and he says the Anees Bazmee-directed venture was a much-needed change for him.

"As an actor, I needed a break from serious cinema," begins Abraham, alluding that difficult projects such as Batla House take an emotional toll on an artiste. "That's why I wanted to do a film that would make me as well as the audience happy. With Pagalpanti, the idea was to make a movie that would be suitable for all age groups. It doesn't have double meaning jokes, exposure or bloodshed."

At a time when the emphasis is on content rather than stars, isn't he apprehensive about being part of a mindless comedy? "I am sure films like Total Dhamaal and Housefull 4 got a lot of negative reviews and criticism. But the audience saw them, and both fared well commercially. So, I believe there is space for all kinds of films today," he says, adding that cracking the genre isn't as easy as one might believe. "I had just wrapped up Batla House when I started shooting for this film. So the first two days were difficult for me. I had to shift gears completely as comedy is the toughest genre in the business. But Anees bhai and the entire cast was supportive."