Even as the fourth season of The Great Indian Kapil Show began streaming over the weekend, its third edition has landed comedian Kapil Sharma and the makers in trouble. Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) India, the country’s oldest copyright licensing organization, has moved the Bombay High Court against Sharma, the producers of the comedy reality show, and Netflix India, alleging copyright infringement through the unauthorized use of songs on the popular comedy series.

According to the commercial intellectual property suit filed on December 12, a copy of which is in mid-day’s possession, three episodes aired between June 21 and September 20 are in contention. One featured actors Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, in which the song M Bole To from Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) was used, while another with Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty played the track, Rama Re, from Kaante (2002). The final episode, featuring Akshay Kumar, used the number Subha Hone Na De from the actor’s movie Desi Boyz (2011). 

In the suit, PPL India has claimed these uses amount to “public performance/communication to the public” under the Copyright Act, 1957, requiring a licence from the rights holder. Stating that no such licence was sought or granted, it has accused K9 Films Pvt Ltd and BeingU Studios Pvt Ltd, the production houses behind the show, of copyright infringement. The suit also notes that the show is first recorded in front of a live audience, where the music is audibly performed, and only later streamed on Netflix, compounding the alleged infringement.

Before this, PPL India had issued a cease-and-desist notice to the producers on November 6. “However, only a holding reply has been received, and the defendants have not stopped playing the plaintiff’s sound recordings,” states the plaint.

The organization has now appealed to the High Court to restrain the defendants from using its copyrighted sound recordings without a licence, to order disclosure of revenues earned through the alleged illegal use, and to appoint a court receiver to seize infringing material. The matter is expected to come up at the Bombay High Court’s commercial division.

mid-day reached out to Sharma and PPL India. Both didn’t respond till press time.

“I am obsessed with how I portray India on screen,” says John Abraham. The actor recently played the role of a diplomat (The Diplomat, 2025) and a police officer (Tehran, 2025). Earlier, he has portrayed an IAS officer in Parmanu and a police officer in films like Force and Batla House. On the other hand, he has also been part of comedy films like Housefull 2 and played the quintessential antihero in Pathaan. In a recent chat, the actor-producer speaks to us about how he occupies two different worlds depending upon whether he is wearing a producer’s hat or an actor’s hat.

John says that he occupies two cinematic worlds depending upon which hat he is wearing. As a producer, he wants to make a difference with the kind of films he produces, and as an actor he loves action and comedy films.

“As a producer, I can’t produce a Housefull (2010) kind of a film. But as an actor, I did a Housefull 2 (2012). As a producer, there are a lot of films that I cannot do. I’m not equipped to do them. But as an actor, I fit in. Like Pathaan (2023) – it is too big a film for me to even fathom producing at this point of time. That’s for the calibre of an Aditya Chopra, who can conceive and make a film like that. As an actor, I want to do films like Pathaan because I enjoy the space. I enjoy doing films like Dostana (2008) and Desi Boyz (2011). Maybe at some point I’ll transition to producing these big-budget films, but at this point – no! So, as an actor, it’s a different mindset and as a producer, it’s a different mindset.”

John adds that even when he’s making commercial films, there’s intention behind it. “Commercial films toh karni hi hai. As John Abraham the star, action is inseparable. But I also crave depth.”

Speaking at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, John says that he keeps rejecting offers worth crores for endorsing pan masala brands or to dance at weddings. “The decision of whether you want to do certain things in your career that actually do not speak for who you really are – that’s a moral choice and a subconscious choice. Pan masala, for example. They give us a lot of money. But would I endorse pan masala? I wouldn’t. Again, I’m not pointing a finger at people who do. I’m talking about what is right and wrong for me. I would not do it because I think it is possibly dangerous for someone’s health. I made a choice that I won’t dance at marriage functions. Now, is it right or wrong? It’s not wrong. Actors do it. Nothing wrong with it. The Beyoncés of the world are coming to dance at our weddings here. It’s a personal choice. But would I do it? No,” he says, adding, “There are certain moral choices I make in my life as a person that probably go against the grain of my job.”

John says that he is fully aware of his image as an action star. He says, “You can’t fake sincerity. You must live the role. With The Diplomat, the compliment I cherished the most was people saying, ‘Only your facial muscles acted.’” To essay the role of diplomat J P Singh in the film, John met him multiple times, observed him and exchanged notes.

He says, “Diplomats are incredibly sharp. Our diplomats like Mr S Jaishankar, J P Singh – they command such respect. I met many real officers and was awestruck by their calmness and dedication.”

Talking about Tehran he says, “I research a lot, I know what I’m presenting. We were very careful with Tehran. We showed all sides with fairness. My grandfather came from Iran in 1939. My mother still speaks Farsi. I had to learn it for the film. So there’s an emotional connection. It’s in my blood.”

My friendship with Satish (Kaushik) began on the set of Swarg (1990), our first film together. Since then, I cast him in practically all my films. It became a habit. He felt a [sense of] ownership over me. If I started a film and he wasn’t starring in it, he would ask me, ‘Why isn’t my name included in this film? Are you not casting me?’

We enjoyed such a comfort level that he would call and say, ‘Tu ghar bulata nahin hai.’ I would immediately tell him, ‘Chal, aaja ghar pe.’ He would frequently visit my house. He was a very jovial person, and would crack jokes. With him, time passed by in a flash — eating and drinking together, and talking about movies.

Having written Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) with Sudhir Mishra, he was an expert in [writing comedy]. He would write the dialogues of his characters, and narrate them to me. His dialogues inevitably took the characters a few notches higher.

Pappu Pager [in Deewana Mastana, 1997] is one of Satish’s most iconic roles. He was present in barely a few scenes, but he worked on the character, ensuring that it became memorable. I remember on the day we were to shoot his scenes in Hyderabad, he said, ‘David yaar, mazaa nahin aa raha hai.’ So, I cancelled that day’s shoot. He promised, ‘Dekh main kya karta hoon’, [and reworked the lines]. Govinda also added his own lines with Satish.

When we finally filmed those scenes in Mumbai, they created wonders together, and Pappu Pager’s scenes became among the highlights of the film. When Anil Kapoor saw the scenes, he told Satish to write his dialogues too.

Whenever Satish came on the set, I was confident that the scenes would turn out fantastic. Govinda and he would rock it every time they faced the camera together. When Rohit [Dhawan, director-son] made his debut with Desi Boyz (2011), he cast Satish for the role of Mr Dhillon. Though he had only one scene with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, he knocked it out of the park

Later, I suggested that Rohit use Satish, even if only as the voice of Qureshi in Dishoom (2016). I knew that he was so outstanding an actor that even with his voice, he would add value to the role. Satish was underrated as an actor, and deserved a lot more.

The films Hera Pheri (2000) and Phir Hera Pheri (2006) remain etched in the minds of cinegoers. Around 17 years later, the hit trio of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty are coming together for its third part. Similar is the case with Indian, (1996), which is being revisited for a second part after 27 years. Gadar (2001), which saw actor Sunny Deol rise to ranks of a superstar, is also getting a sequel.

However, there is ample proof of adaptations and sequels not working out — Bunty Aur Babli 2 (2021), which came out 16 years after the first part, Namaste England (2018) and Love Aaj Kal (2020), both of which were revisited 11 years after the release of the original. All of these disappointed, both critically and commercially. Despite this, is it a safe bet or a risky proposition to be revisiting film brands that were established decades ago?

Filmmaker Anees Bazmee, who successfully revisited Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) through Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 last year, says nothing is “safe” in this day and age. “People’s moods change every day. Aisa bol hi nahin sakte ki any film will work 100%. It’s just your gut feeling and experience. Iss tarah ki films ko revisit karna mehnat ka kaam hai. It’s a huge responsibility because the previous film has had such goodwill,” he adds.

Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Omkara (2006) and Desi Boyz (2011) are also on the list of films to be revisited. Producer Anand Pandit, who has backed these films, says: “Some stories are eternal, like Omkara. We have to tell it differently. But, if you bring, say, Sholay 2 today, it will not work. You can’t experiment with the main story. If it’s a franchise like Dhamaal or Masti, you can bring any story as ultimately, you just want to bring smiles on people’s faces. There is no connection with the first film as such. The name is just for recollection.”

The love for the story is what made director Anil Sharma revisit Gadar. “People gave the original so much love, it’s the public’s film. Maine kabhi pressure liya nahin. Public dekhegi, mere haath mein kuchh nahin hai. Business side of things is important, but so is the craft,” he says.

But, exhibitor Akshaye Rathi feels a story needs to be plated differently, if revisited. “The audience has changed completely. The older one is great to borrow from, but the content that comes out in the new version needs to be like old wine in a new bottle. You have to repackage and modernize it. As long as that can be done, why not [revisit]?” says Rathi.

Anand Pandit is all set to begin 2023 on a high note. The producer is joining hands with Eros International and Parag Sanghvi to produce a sequel to Desi Boyz and the remake of Omkara, two blockbusters that enjoy huge public recall and have great nostalgic value.

Sunil Lulla, Chairman, Eros International, says, “We are excited to collaborate with Anand bhai to revive the magic of these films that have remained indelible in our memories. We have often wondered what happened to our favourite cinematic characters and if their journey took them in surprising directions. These films will answer many such questions. We will work together to ensure that the essence of these classics remains untouched, even as we infuse new energy and fresh vibrance in them.”

Talking about the collaboration, Anand Pandit shares, “These two films — Omkara and Desi Boyz — were trailblazers for their storytelling, star cast and music. They remain unforgettable for their command over their respective genres. They have a huge following for different reasons and it seemed like the perfect time to revisit these hits and take their stories forward for a new generation of viewers.”

Parag Sanghvi says, “I am thrilled to be a part of these amazing projects. It will be exciting to take the legacy of these films forward. The partnership with Eros International is very strategic, as they are best placed in India to maximise distribution and marketing, including on digital platforms globally.”

Desi Boyz (2011), a romantic comedy, was directed by Rohit Dhawan, son of director David Dhawan. The film starred Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Chitrangda Singh in lead roles, while Sanjay Dutt featured in an extended cameo.

Omkara, a 2006 Indian crime drama adapted from William Shakespeare’s Othello, was co-written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. It was headlined by some of Bollywood’s top stars, including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi and Bipasha Basu.

In a career spanning close to two decades and around 50 films, John Abraham by his own admission is now in a “2.0 phase. ” The actor whose career has been a mix of commercial entertainers and content-driven projects, says that as an actor, he only craves for respect from the audience. Excerpts:

Apart from massy films like Housefull 2, Welcome Back and Pagalpanti, John has done his share of hatke films like Madras Cafe, Batla House and Parmanu. Was he worried about the commercial feasibility of these projects?

John says, “You have to ask yourself, what do you want in life? Do you want money or respect? I want respect. Madras Cafe did average business, but the respect I got after doing the film is what I crave for as an actor. I hold my self completely responsible for the choices I made. If a film fails, I don’t shift the blame to the director.”

John who’s dabbled in comedy films and has also done patriotic films in the recent past, claims he doesn’t have a favourite genre. “By doing films about the Armed Forces, I am not aiming at a cult following. I try to be part of a film that is exciting for the audience, but the actual intent is to make a good film that would make me happy.”

While John has always been a Hindi film hero, he has also been associated with regional cinema. In 2018, he produced the Marathi film, Savita Damodar Paranjpe and now plans to foray into producing Gujarati films.

The actor who is conversant with the language, owing to his Parsi background, says, “I don’t want to produce just Gujarati films, but also OTT series in the language. I feel that currently, three regional industries in India are producing the best content — Marathi, Malayalam and Gujarati. Of course, this process is cyclical and other regional industries also throw up good content. For example, Assamese and Bengali industries, among others, have also produced great content and they are still doing so. I speak Gujarati and understand Gujarati, it’s my matrubhasha in a way, as my mother is a Parsi.”

John was part of Dhoom, which brought biking culture into focus, and he has also done many high-octane stunts in his films. In real life, too, he is passionate about bikes, but so far we haven’t seen him back a film where hot two-wheelers or cool cars take centre stage.

He says, “I have always wanted to produce a film on bikes and cars. In fact, I had even planned a film in 2019-20, but due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we had to stall the plan.”

Now that things are back to normal, John and his team are working on getting permission to shoot on the Isle Of Man, a small island nation between Britain and Ireland, for a project revolving around bikes.

John, who has done a few commercially successful films with Akshay Kumar, insists that he misses working with the latter. “I love working with Akshay. I miss working with him and I know that our professional equation and comic timing match and that’s how we’ve pulled off films like Garam Masala, Desi Boyz and Housefull 2. If there are two heroes who look good on screen together, because their chemistry is so seamless and realistic, it’s Akshay and me. We share a genuine bond beyond our films, and all that just translates onto the screen. Of course, I am looking for an excuse to reunite with him on screen. I believe he’s very busy now, but I’m going to pull him out and work with him soon.”

John Abraham’s ripped body and fitness regimen have inspired people for years. Talking about his fitness regimen, John says, “I am very disciplined, I do not have many cheat days. I haven’t touched white sugar in over 30 years now and if it was introduced to the world in the 21st century, it would have been a banned substance, that is the kind of harm it does to a body. I don’t smoke, drink alcohol or aerated drinks. I am a vegetarian. I want to be fit 365 days of the year and I do not want to transform for a particular film. I want to set the right example for my fans.”

He takes pride in being called Bollywood's hottest action star, but for John Abraham having a great body is not just about flaunting it. He uses his physicality to perfectly 'fit' into his roles, like his upcoming buddy cop film Dishoom, directed by Rohit Dhawan, in which he shares screen space with Varun Dhawan. “I'm a secure actor,“ he says and that's what makes him bond with the talented stock of the new breed of actors.

Dishoom is a buddy cop movie, the likes of which we haven't seen in a while.
It's a fun film and will resonate with the younger audience. Rohit is a young director, who's also driven by Hollywood cinema. We have worked together in Desi Boyz. I know him personally, understand his sensibilities and his potential to up the scale of a film. Everything has to be larger-than-life yet true to its context for him. Dishoom is about a cricketer getting kidnapped, which is relevant in today's times. Despite keeping the context, situations and characters real, it's still a commercial film. Varun has done a fantastic job and the takeaway from it is our crackling onscreen chemistry.

Tell us a bit about your camaraderie with Varun, both on and off screen.
I know Varun since Desi Boyz. He and I are so comfortable with each other that a lot of it is unspoken. We shot the film seamlessly. We have both worked in multi-starrer films before, but Varun has had the best experience working on Dishoom and he wants to come back to such films. Rohit, Varun and I were inseparable on the set. We hung out, ate, chatted and laughed together.

An actor may often feel insecure in a multi-starrer movie. Did you ever feel that way?
It's imperative for a senior actor to make the other actors comfortable. He has to take the lead, just like Akshay (Kumar) did with me and we went on to do three films together. I gave Varun that kind of confidence that he could be himself in front of me and we could feed off each other. I am sure Varun and I will collaborate again on many films, maybe on a Dishoom franchise. I can foresee it because we hit it off brilliantly. While working on a multi-starrer, it can become a serious problem when the senior actor becomes insecure. I have been in that spot, but I rationalised the situation and took control of it by stepping back. It also stems out from the fact that I am a secure actor. Though Rohit is Varun's brother, he has directed me before. He presents me in a certain way and Varun knows about it. I made Varun comfortable as I wanted him to feel that Dishoom is also his film.

Were you apprehensive about taking up this film with one Dhawan helming the project and the other acting in it?
The beauty of Dishoom is that Varun and I never asked Rohit a single question about what the other was doing. We were so happy with our characters that we would do variations during takes. There wasn't any apprehension ever. That's why I hope that the film works for Rohit, and Varun and I get to work together again.

You will be seen smoking in the film.Was it easy for a fitness freak like you to do it?
I tried to convince Rohit to not make me smoke on screen, but he was adamant. This trait of the character is well entwined in the script and is integral to the film. As an actor, I play a character, which need not necessarily mean that I am propagating it as a person.

The plot of the film has a cricket element, featuring a kidnapped cricketer. Do you think cricketers are always more revered than actors?
Cricketers get the larger share of popularity, but during the cricket season. An actor's popularity is consistent and throughout his tenure. It might just fluctuate depending on the success or failure of their films. I feel bad for some cricketers as they have it really hard and have to deal with immense pressure. They play for the country and it gets rough for them if they don't perform. Having said that, a cricketer and an actor's life is similar. We feel the same pressure in terms of media attention. These are the only two pastimes some people in the country have at their disposal, as there is no alternate recreational activity for families. Fortunately, the country is venturing into other sports, but cricket is still the dominant one.

Biopics seem to be the latest fad in Bollywood. You have also been offered one?
I have been offered more than one, in fact, five sport biopics. Most of them invariably gravitate towards me as they feel I have got the physicality and can pull off the character. However, I haven't read something that I am fully convinced about. I get nervous when I sign a film, not when it releases. Once the bullet is out of the barrel, it's beyond your control. I don't feel euphoric when a film succeeds or dejected when it fails. They are interesting stories, including Hawa Singh. Physically, Hawa Singh, the real-life character, and I are similar and you can't get a better fit than me for the part. I will be able to pull off the character, given the effort I put in, in terms of diction and voice. But ultimately, it all depends on how it is written. Only then can I go ahead and do it. Till now, I haven't signed anything after Force 2.

The younger crop is extremely fitness conscious. Today it's almost mandatory to have a great body.
As someone who is passionate about fitness, I like to see fit people on screen. I actually feel happy to see male and female actors with great bodies on screen. I go up and compliment them. I understand fitness a lot more today, it is not just about having six-packs, but most of them have that and nothing else. The idea is to develop an overall fit body and I try to advise them on exercises and diet to have a balanced body. You shouldn't build a fit body just to flaunt it, but to feel good about yourself. The beauty about Varun is that he listens and wants to understand. He understands when I share with him a certain form or the right posture at the gym. It's beautiful that he takes the advice seriously. At the end of the day, when he is standing next to me in his trunks, he has to look presentable and has carried that off beautifully in the film.

You are all praises for your co-actor. How are you so secure in your space?
It's in-built. I don't believe in having an ego. I don't confront anyone or speak negative about anybody; not because I am politically correct, but I genuinely like people. I feel there is good in every one and I always look out for it. If the person is good, why should I be negative towards him? There have been times, when actors, I wouldn't name, have hugged me for having spoken nicely about them. In fact, they look at me with disbelief when I do that. They realise that my feelings and views are real and Varun sees that. I couldn't attend a couple of dance shows to promote Dishoom as I was unwell. Any actor in my place would have been worried about the inability to attend the shows. But on the contrary, I was happy that Varun was there. When I asked him if he would be able to handle it, he told me not to worry and that he really missed me. The onus of taking the initiative was on me to make him feel that way.

How would you compare yourself as an actor and a producer?
I am a hands-on producer. I am creatively involved, sit on drafts of scripts and see them develop. My situation is paradoxical because I have great producing partners, who want to co-produce several films with me, but I wait till I get great content. I tell them that I can't guarantee success, but I can reduce the probability of failure, if the content is right. As a producer, I am very strategic and innovative. As an actor, I have started going down the same path with the exception of the genre that I enjoy and that's comedy. I will keep the critical analysis aside and take my family to watch a happy film. If I can do that as a human being, why not as an actor? I might not produce films like Welcome Back and Housefull, but I would love to act in them. That's because I may not be able to produce those kind of films. I am sampling unconventional content as a producer. I could fail, but at least people will not call my film rank bad. They will realise and respect the fact that I attempted some thing different.