John Abraham admits facing criticism as an outsider in Bollywood: ‘Before that, only Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar…’

John Abraham also spoke about working alongside contemporaries who enjoyed a stronger foothold in the industry, and how he carved his own path.

Actor John Abraham recently opened up about his journey as an outsider in Bollywood, revealing that he has faced relentless criticism since the very beginning of his career. He recalled starting out in 2003, at a time when outsiders were a rarity in the industry, and remembered it being a vulnerable time for him.

John Abraham was most recently seen in The Diplomat and Tehran. (AFP)

John on being an outsider

Recently, John looked back at his journey in Bollywood and his struggle as an outsider during a conversation at the SCREEN Masterclass. He admitted that he has faced criticism right from 2003.

During the session, John said, “I have probably been criticised the most in this industry, from the time I started. When I came in 2003, there were no outsiders. Before that, only Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar (entered the film industry). The amount of criticism I have gone through, nobody else has faced that in my time. For me, it was simple. I was like a horse with blinkers. I could only see in front, and didn’t expect. I have never had a publicist. I don’t go out there to feed stories in the media; it could make me vulnerable as well, but I think people know my integrity and where I come from.”

John also opened up about working alongside contemporaries who enjoyed a stronger foothold in the industry, and how he carved his own path despite the competition.

“The best way is to train your mind to know that you are not competing but complementing. I get along way better with my male co-stars. I have worked with Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, and Abhishek Bachchan. I have even kissed Abhishek. They look at me as someone who complements their process, and I look at them the same way. For me, I am not competitive in that space; I am very comfortable around guys, and that beauty shows in the film,” he added.

Speaking about his work choices, John revealed that he is on the lookout for a good comedy script, and also shared that he would be more than happy to join the cast of No Smoking 2 if the sequel is ever made.

John’s upcoming work

After a modelling career, John made a name for himself by featuring in projects such as Paap, Dhoom, Garam Masala, Dostana, Water, Kabul Express, New York and Shootout at Wadala.

John was last seen in Tehran as special officer Rajeev Kumar who vows revenge after the 2012 bombing in Delhi. Helmed by Arun Gopalan, the action-packed thriller also featured Manushi Chhillar. The film was released last year.

He also unveiled the official teaser of the new documentary Oslo: A Tale Of Promise, which he is backing, at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. It is rumoured that he is working on Rakesh Maria’s biopic, with speculation around Force 3 also going around. However, the actor has not yet officially confirmed his next project.