Bollywood actor John Abraham is currently in the spotlight for his upcoming film Tehran, which is set to premiere directly on OTT platform Zee5 on August 14. Inspired by the 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats, the film continues John’s recent run in the patriotic genre. However, in a candid new interview, the actor shared strong views on the rise of so-called “nationalist” films in the industry.
According to John, such films often cross over into extreme ideological territory and are not shy about stoking audience emotions. Interestingly, despite previously praising the box office success of Chhava earlier this year, John has now made it clear that he would never produce films like Chhava or The Kashmir Files. He even went so far as to describe their impact on viewers as “frightening.”
Speaking to India Today, John also weighed in on censorship, saying,
“Censorship is necessary. But the way it is controlled does raise questions.”
Discussing his experience with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), he added,
“They’ve been good to me, but I’ve also been responsible in how I make my films. I am neither right-wing nor left-wing. I am apolitical.”
John admitted that the sheer popularity of right-wing films is a concern.
“The worrying part for me is that right-leaning films get massive audiences. As a filmmaker, you’re then forced to ask yourself—do I take the commercial route, or do I stick to my principles? I’ve chosen the latter,” he said.
When asked if he had ever been tempted to make a big-ticket political blockbuster like Chhava or The Kashmir Files, John replied,
“I haven’t watched Chhava, but I know both it and The Kashmir Files were loved by many. But when films are made in a hyper-political climate with the intent to influence people—and they still find huge audiences—it scares me. So, no, I’ve never wanted to, and I never will make such films.”
At the box office, Vicky Kaushal’s Chhava remains the highest-grossing Indian film of the year so far, earning ₹601.57 crore domestically and ₹807.91 crore worldwide. The historical epic depicts the life of Maratha Empire’s second ruler, Sambhaji Maharaj, and his conflict with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Meanwhile, The Kashmir Files, released in 2022, became a blockbuster despite heavy controversy. Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film collected ₹252.25 crore in India and ₹341 crore globally, and went on to win the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration at the National Film Awards.