Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 24, 2017)

John Abraham’s next, Parmanu - The Story of Pokhran, was to release on December 8 but due to a delay in the post-production work, the film will now release on February 23. John’s fans, who will be disappointed, can take solace in the fact that the actor has planned something special for them.

Reveals a source, “John, along with his producer Prernaa Arora, has decided to unveil the first teaser of Parmanu on his birthday on December 17. As the film’s release was pushed, they wanted to give something as a treat to his fans.”

The teaser will be a minute-and-a-half long. “It will showcase John in action mode. A full-fledged trailer will be released sometime around mid-January,” reveals the source.

After a speedy recovery from a busted knee, John Abraham, who celebrated his b'day yesterday, is back in full force with "raw, real, rare" actioners
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2015)


You can't keep Action Abraham down. He's undergone three surgeries on the knee which he busted while filming the Force sequel in Romania and is still feeling "awesome". Pointing out that when you sign up for action you can't be fatalistic about injuries, John, who turned 43 yesterday, quips, "I've broken both my hands and legs before but this was by far the most serious injury I have suffered. Still, I can't afford to feel sorry for myself. My threshold for pain is really high, I'm back in the gym and have already filmed three major action sequences," he informs.

He has three adrenalin-pumping films — Rocky Handsome, Dishoom and Force 2 — releasing next year and reveals that there should be announcements soon on two more films in the same genre. "They jokingly call me the 'Last Action Hero' and while there's a lot of tottering and falling in our films, raw, real action is rare. That's what I want to bring back on screen in the coming year. Without being condescending I can say that my stunts are my special appearance songs," he smiles.

His next co-production, Rocky Handsome, which reunites him with his Force director, Nishikant Kamat, is as much about kicks and punches as it is about heart-tugging emotion since a six-year-old child is the catalyst for the oneman army going into an over-drive. He picked Diya, who's done a film with Salman Khan before, from 300 aspirants, "Not just her own two-page dialogues, she knew the whole script by heart and if anyone forgot their lines, she'd immediately stop them. She can be funny and also break down in the middle of a scene. She's a genius!" John raves, confident that their relationship will connect with every parent in the audience.

So can we expect another Rs 300 crore Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which was also centred on a man and a child? "I have put my money where my mouth is but for me it's important to marry commerce and content, make a film which people remember as beautiful, like Vicky Donor or Madras Cafe. That's why I produce a film a year or one in two years. I'm not a soap factory," he reasons, insisting that while Rocky Handsome is loosely inspired by the Korean thriller, A Man from Nowhere, it's far better than the original. "It's gritty but not dark. It has colour and romance."

John was spotted dining quietly with wife Priya on Sunday at a SoBo restaurant but won't be drawn into discussions on his personal life. When prodded on his vacation plans, he pointed out that he has three films on the floors and his football team just returned after a good season.

"There is a lot happening, so we'll take a vacation but not right away. We'll bring in the New Year in Mumbai," he signs off.