MY DAD IS MY HERO, SAYS A PROUD JOHN
On Father’s Day, actor John Abraham says that dad Abraham John is always morally upright
It’s not just the name, but also their passion for sport that binds them together. Actor John Abraham’s smile is at its widest, complete with those dimples, when you ask about his father, Abraham John.
“You know what the funny thing is? My dad is my hero, [and] not just because he’s my father. It’s because he has never taken or given a bribe in his life. He’s an architect, and he has never pandered to any municipal bribery. He has been a straight man, has always helped society, and never screamed about it like we do as actors. You find out a man’s character when he does something [good] but doesn’t speak about it. He’s my hero because of that,” says the actor.
Elaborating, he adds, “We share a great bond. He watches my films, but the difference between him and my mum is that she’ll love my worst films, but dad is very clear. He walks out of the theatre and asks, ‘Why did you do this?’ or says, ‘It’s good you did this.’ He speaks like an audience member. With some films, he has even said, ‘This is a waste of time!’ (laughs) He’s my most vocal critic. When asked, he says things as they are, and never minces words.”
What the two bond over the most is sport, especially football. “Any kind of sport does it, be it football or tennis. We watch matches together. He knows every player’s name. The reason I fell in love with sport is because of him,” says the actor, who owns a football team, NorthEast United FC, in the Indian Super League.
Does John’s dad come to watch his team play? “Yes, he has come for some matches, he loves the atmosphere. We didn’t fare well last season, but a sport is a sport, whether your team is first or last. He saw us play, and he was like, ‘Not even God can help you! What are you guys doing on the field?’ That’s what I appreciate about him,” smiles the actor.
Maybe his straightforward father is what has kept this Bollywood star so grounded. When you meet John, there are no bodyguards, no entourage around to interrupt anything.
Asked about it, he replies, “Honestly, I’ve never felt like a star. I don’t walk around with an entourage or bodyguard, except just one person who travels with me. I don’t even have a driver or a boy on a film set! I sometimes don’t even take my own car; a production car comes to pick me up. Please ask Nikhil Advani, with whom I’m doing Satyamev Jayate. I’m very frugal in my lifestyle; that comes out of my middle-class upbringing. My parents are simple people. That’s what makes me think ‘How can I live like a huge star, then?’ There’s nothing wrong with living like a star, but I can’t. I cannot disconnect myself from my parents. They’re everything I have,” John signs off.
He has been a straight man, has always helped society, and never screamed about it like we do as actors. JOHN ABRAHAM ACTOR