John Abraham on life in lockdown: I’m not dependent on social media to influence my actions or validate what I’m doing

Actor John Abraham says that someone joked with him saying ‘John’s life in quarantine and outside of quarantine is practically the same’!

Bikes, action, fitness — these three words are enough to sum up actor John Abraham. In the past 45 days of lockdown, while fitness has been a constant with him working out at home, the action has completely stopped with no shoots happening. And bike rides? Well, hear it from the man himself.

Actor John Abraham says more than watching content on streaming platforms, he is reading a lot more during this lockdown.

“Honestly, someone joked with me that ‘John’s life in quarantine and outside of quarantine is practically the same’! (laughs) Barring my motorcycle rides, I have never been the person who goes out, so I am really not finding this period very difficult. As someone who is not wholly dependent on social media- and I say this with a lot of pride today- neither looking at social media to influence my actions, what I need to do, or validate what I am doing, I feel a sense of liberation there,” says the 47-year-old.

On what all has been keeping him busy so far, the actor reveals that creating new content has been on his mind throughout during the lockdown. He tells us that even though he’s okay with doing ‘nothing’, there’s still a lot happening.

“I have been reading voraciously, non-stop. I am sure we would all say ‘watching, streaming and chilling’. But, I have been reading more than watching. I am in touch with my team constantly, in the process of creating good content. We are seeing it from a different scope today. The language of filmmaking is also going to change partly, so here’s a new normal today. I think things are changing,” he shares.

Is he going to focus more on creating OTT content going forward? He says that the platform isn’t something he is thinking about as of now.

“I am just creating content, we will see what we need to do in terms of platforms. Right now, it’s a good time to sit back. There are things I have never done in my life, and that’s doing nothing. This is the first time, and I make no beans about it, there’s no shame. I am sitting back and reflecting on life. It’s good, I think. There’s a lot being done whilst I am doing nothing, a lot of thinking.”

Since all shoots have been stalled since March, Abraham’s films too were affected, including Attack and Mumbai Saga. “We had finished 50% of the shoot for Attack. The people I am working with are from South Africa and England, and we are now at the mercy of international flights and their dates, when we could resume. Mumbai Saga has got three-four days left, so I am not worried about that. Satyameva Jayate 2 is to begin,” he concludes.