John Abraham feels objectified but takes it as a compliment
What's the story
John Abraham, a celebrated actor in Bollywood for over two decades, recently opened up about feeling "objectified" because of his impressive physique.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, he admitted to this reality but also added that he didn't necessarily see it as a bad thing.
"I did feel objectified. In fact, I was told more often than not that, 'John, you are probably the only man who can be objectified by women.'"
Career approach
Abraham's strategy to balance looks and performance
Abraham further spoke about the industry's obsession with looks over performance.
He said, "Strangely I did not feel bad about it, I felt it was a compliment. I felt good about it, but yeah, we are usually fighting this battle where it's always about the way you look rather than the way you perform."
To combat this, he stressed picking scripts that focus on writing with his physicality.
Script significance
Abraham highlighted the importance of script in films
Abraham emphasized the significance of a good script in his films.
He said, "I have been stressing about writing, in any film that I am producing or doing, because I think the most important thing in a film is the way it is written."
"And once it's written right, once you can belt out those lines the way your director wants you to then it becomes more about the scenes..."
Audience preferences
Abraham acknowledged the audience's dual interest in physique and content
Abraham admitted that though a lot of his audience is keen on his looks, a huge chunk appreciates content.
He said, "Initially it was about the physique, the body. Is there an audience that still wants to see that? Yes, and there is a huge audience who wants to see that and I want to do that! But there is also a large audience who wants to see the content and respects that."
He'll next star in The Diplomat.