John on the insider-outsider debate: Don't subscribe to such terms

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/John Abraham

John Abraham is one of the very few outsiders in the Hindi film industry that has made it big. Channelling his alpha-male aura and putting it to judicious use in his thrilling debut with Jism in 2003, the man went on to create a legitimate following for himself, with a lot of credit given to his alluring demeanour.

Today, times and things have changed for Bollywood after the unfortunate demise of Sushant Singh Rajput. The gaze has changed, turned critical from charming and captivating, and amid this heat and hatred, the actor talks about how the industry is, how he doesn't subscribe to the terms such as insider and outsider, and how he has created his own standards.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, when asked about these aforementioned terms, the actor said, "I don't subscribe to such terms. This is your Twitter trending culture. I believe every individual, be it an insider or outsider, has his/ her own battles to fight. Whether you are gracious about it or bitter, it's your decision, but you have to fight this battle."

He added, "Every person has to prove a point, either you complain about it or put your head down and bloody do your job. I am clear I have come here to do my job, and I will do it well." He also shed light on how he too came from outside the industry.

He stated, "I create my own standards. Did I come from outside the industry and make it on my own? Yes. It's a great example for people. Do I think people from the industry are gracious? They are damn bloody gracious. Are all of them gracious? Maybe not, but that exists everywhere in every industry."

When asked about being bitter or cynical about others in Bollywood grabbing more opportunities or being bestowed with more chances than him, he answered, "Not at all. I am grateful that I created my own chances and had self-conviction. I give credit only to that. I can also sob, cry, beat my chest and say I have been wronged, but that's not my narrative, that's not what I am made of. I am made of stronger mettle. For me, if you don't get chances, you create your own. If you don't belong to a world, you create your own world."

Abraham, who has films like Welcome Back, Madras Cafe, Force 2, Dishoom, Parmanu, Satyameva Jayate, and Batla House behind him, is now gearing up for Attack, Satyameva Jayate 2, Ek Villain 2, and also a film tentatively titled Pathan. This is an action-drama directed by Siddharth Anand and reportedly stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news