Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 19, 2019)

John Abraham and Bhushan Kumar are in a happy space as creative collaborators. After Satyameva Jayate (2018) and Batla House, their third outing together, Pagalpanti, is ready to hit cinemas this week. Ahead of that, they spoke to BT about what makes their equation work and why, despite two hectic years ahead, they believe that they will not reach a point of burnout. Excerpts:

In the last 18 months, you have collaborated on two films — Satyameva Jayate and Batla House — and Pagalpanti is the third in line. There are half-a-dozen films more in the offing, too. What do you think has cemented your equation as partners?
John Abraham: Bhushan has been extremely forthcoming and he has the desire to be involved creatively with projects. He has transitioned from being the baron of a music label to a creative producer, who is not afraid to take risks and back films that are daring and unique. Batla House is a case in point. People would have thought a thousand times over about backing it, but he went right ahead, and put his money where his mouth is. Our association has been organic because we never set out with a plan. Today, if I find something that I want us to do together, I reach out to him. If it doesn’t work for him, we leave it there. There’s no compulsion, ever.
Bhushan Kumar: I feel very comfortable working with John and he’s right when he says that ours is an organic relationship. He gives the producer his due space. Actors who are also producers often take over the project completely and don’t allow producers to have a say. Here, we are on the same page. After Pagalpanti, we have Mumbai Saga, Satyameva Jayate 2, an untitled film with Arjun Kapoor and Rakul, Attack and another one that we will announce soon. This can happen only when you build an equation of trust and respect.

One places trust and respect in any equation only after it has stood the test of time. How did you guys go about winning each other’s trust?
John: I think you can place trust and respect in the other person, especially in a work equation, when he or she displays transparency at all times. Bhushan has been in the industry for longer than I have and we both have been cheated on several occasions. Transparency is something that I insist on, and I respect immensely. If there’s an issue, he’s always there to back me up. When we make a commitment, we stand by it. He has displayed the courage to back a creative producer like me who only goes after tricky subjects. I don’t have the power to propel a project like Bhushan, but his sensibilities as a producer match mine. He helps me secure that new space that I’m trying to tap into in the best way possible. Studios are about balance sheets, board of directors and paperwork, but I have a one-to-one relationship with Bhushan. If I tell him why our project will be slightly more expensive, he will hear me out and we will find a way to make things work.
Bhushan: John takes my word for it because I’ve always lived up to my word. He believes me and has shown faith in my work. This industry works on relationships and no relationship can survive without mutual trust. John is a straightforward guy and he gets really upset when someone breaks his trust. Our comfort level grew over time, it didn’t happen overnight. And the kind of comfort I have while working with John is different from what I have with other actors. He’s an actor-producer, and he understands what viability of a project is. Other actors would probably see that as us trying to cut corners for the sake of it. John knows the math, and he understands how and why we’re trying to work around our costs.

Is this the reason you wanted your wife Divya Khosla Kumar to make her acting comeback with John?
Bhushan: Not entirely, but yes, my equation with John is one of the reasons I was happy for Divya to make her comeback with him in Satyameva Jayate 2. She’s also very comfortable with the team, she knows Nikkhil Advani and his family. She knows John very well. She knows how Milap Zaveri works. Everyone was happy to have her on board. As her husband, Divya’s comfort is of prime importance to me.

John, you’ve had a fairly long spell of serious films and they seem to be working for you. Why did you decide to then digress into a comic caper with Pagalpanti? Bhushan, did you ever have second thoughts about his decision?
Bhushan: Once the audience accepts an actor for his comic timing or for his serious outings, it makes life easy for a producer. John has been accepted in both. It’s like Akshay Kumar, who does a lot of serious films, but he balances it with a comedy film. He can do that because he is accepted in both spaces. John has done that, too. So, I am not at any risk. I’ve seen Pagalpanti and I think the title is apt. Anees Bazmee has made a full-fledged comedy. I was actually excited about it from the time John told me about it. I called Kumar Mangat ji, and joined forces with him on this one.
John: It’s true that I have been doing serious films for a while. I really wanted to give myself a break from that and I am also a big Anees Bazmee fan.

Comedies are often accused of lacking a credible story and the narrative relies mostly on one-liners and the actors’ comic timing. Was that ever a concern here?
John: Not at all. Pagalpanti has a relevant plot, apart from being very entertaining. Fugitives have escaped our country after looting our banks and robbing thousands of middle-class people of their savings. Our film uses this as the core story. In an entertaining way, we are giving out a message to the audience. When you see characters running around the streets of London in circus outfits, you can’t figure out what’s going on. But it’s a good story, which in a weird manner, is patriotic.
Bhushan: I was game for all this craziness. It’s not a tricky film for a producer to back. It’s a well-rounded film with so many elements and such good actors. After backing Batla House and Kabir Singh, this film feels pretty cool.

Over the next two years, you already have films like Mumbai Saga, Satyameva Jayate 2 and Attack lined up. While churning out one film every quarter, do you fear that your equation might reach a state of burnout?
John: We approach each other only when we find something really striking. Both of us are not in a hurry to bring out projects. Our films are getting green-lit pretty organically. He believes in my process and he knows I will not approach him because I want to create a slate of films with him.
Bhushan: Luckily, even though we have a string of projects together, we’re doing some very cool films, which are all in different spaces. There’s no room for monotony and so, I don’t see a burnout situation, ever.