When Jackie Shroff recently made tabloid news for his new motorbike, one automatically thought of John Abraham with his Hayabusa, who gave the two-wheeler a respectability it never had in the film industry. Once upon a time, only those who were struggling to make it, like Shekhar Suman before he could afford the luxury of a car, rode motorbikes. But ever since John zoomed even into a formal function on his motorbike, the two-wheeler has been upgraded, it’s got social acceptance. Now Shahid Kapoor also rides to work in his mean, Rs 15-lakh machine.

But it really was Jaggu Dada who first rode a motorbike to work. One remembers the week his first big film Hero was being released. He’d come to visit all us girls at Eve’s Weekly and Star & Style (extremely popular sister publications, now defunct) on a motorbike — unheard of for any star. Although Jackie always had a soft corner for bikes (he continued riding one long after his pockets were full), he passionately loves cars too.

Come to think of it, macho machines are not the only things that John and Jackie share in common. Years ago, at the launch of a new paper, Jackie Shroff strode out of a huge replica of the front page, walked up to Madhuri Dixit and Meenakshi Seshadri (who were also posing still on the page), and charmingly escorted them down the ramp to huge applause. Jaggu had a way with women, which made it all so natural that he didn’t even need rehearsals.

Watching John Abraham escort the Indian Idol winner in the grand finale of the show last week, the dimpled star was a ladies’ man all the way. On the show to promote his new Yash Raj film New York, John was dapper, caring, danced like a dream and generally made his escort look and feel special. It certainly made Indian Idol winner Sourabhee’s day. In contrast, Neil Nitin Mukesh with a female finalist was like a gauche newcomer while Katrina Kaif, partnered by the sole male finalist, proved once again that her talents don’t go beyond looking stunningly beautiful. It was John’s attentive charm, turned on in correct proportion on Sourabhee, that made you feel you were watching a chivalrous star in action. One couldn’t help remembering Jaggu while watching John.

Both men have so much in common. They have always made fantastic clotheshorses. They are a designer’s delight as they can carry off any kind of attire and make heads turn. Both were successful models before stardom sought them. And both have been panned often for being more good looking than talented!

There is also a certain niceness that Jackie and John share, a willingness to stay rooted, to never forget that their parents led humble lives and to take pride in their simplicity. Jackie’s father, a Gujarati, married a woman of Turkish origin. John’s father, a Kerala Christian, married a Parsi. So mixed blood runs through the veins of both stars. Jackie’s generosity has been legendary, while John is also known to do his share of good deeds on the quiet. They’re known as the nice guys of the film industry — the poster boys for ‘nice guys do succeed’.

Where John scores over Jackie is that Jaggu would request organisers never to ask him to speak on stage, he’d mumble a few words if the mike was ever handed to him. But John speaks with wonderful confidence. An important distinction which will take John very far as a celebrity — never mind the occasional jibes at his histrionics.

Hey, psst!

There’s a lot being whispered about the steamy scenes that have been shot with Hrithik Roshan and his Kites co-star, Mexican hottie Barbara Mori. There’s also plenty about the sizzle and chemistry continuing long after the cameras were switched off, which is supposed to have perturbed wife Sussanne.

While the smooch--lovemaking scenes are reportedly true, the disturbed wife bit seems an exaggeration. An insider insists that when Barbara finished all her work in Kites, she flew to Goa for a quick holiday — with Sussanne accompanying her. And when it was time for Barbara to head back to Mexico where her 11-year-old son (from an ex-lover) awaited her arrival, the Roshans even had a farewell party for her. That doesn’t quite fit in with the rollicking affair scenario, does it? Unless Sussanne was only too happy to celebrate Ms Mori’s return to Mexico!

Bharathi S. Pradhan is managing editor, Movie Mag International