John Abraham at The Oberoi Grand on Monday. Picture by Amit Datta

He comes across as such a different John Abraham than the one we have known from his trips to the city in the past decade. He discusses the economic crisis in Greece, he talks about producing movies where he isn’t the leading man, and he seriously wants to be part of Bengali films.

John’s visit to the city on Monday was for his Friday release Force. Throughout his never-ending (one-and-a-half hours) ride from the airport to Oberoi Grand, he was counting the number of Force billboards, put up courtesy the Lux brand, GenX. “Mr (Ashok) Todi you should partner all films of mine,” John joked when he met him later at the press meet. Todi on his part looks at Force as a festive gift to the city. “I hope everyone watches the film during Durga Puja,” he said.

The last time John was in Calcutta around Durga Puja, Bipasha was still his girl. No longer so. So is this new John the post-Bips effect? The actor wouldn’t confirm that. In this relaxed and contemplative chat with t2, the Dhoom man discussed being “on autopilot” and “moving on in life”.

Force producer Vipul Shah refuses to call you John Abraham; he calls you Action Abraham. Are you happy with that tag?

See, the biggest cliche about movies is that you call every new film the most important film you have done. But honestly Force is really important to me in the sense that it establishes me as an action hero. An action hero not in the sense of cables and gadgets but action hero in the raw, real sense. Like a Sunny Deol in Ghayal. In that space. I want people to watch Force and go, “Man, that’s a new young action hero on the scene!” Maybe I should have done this switch post-Dhoom. A lot of people had told me then.

I chose to experiment with my roles. I did films like No Smoking, Kabul Express, Water, Aashayein.... Even Jhootha Hi Sahi was an experiment. Almost all my films have been experiments and I am proud of all of them.

But now I think I have reached a certain level of maturity... with age, with the way I look, with my body. Now, I am prepared to take on action roles. My emotional connect with Force happened when I signed the film and when I shot it. Now, all this marketing is just a by-product. But as I understand it, marketing now is the product. I hope the film will speak for itself. I am confident in the way I have projected myself in the film.

You had tried to switch modes with Jhootha Hi Sahi. Disappointed that your fans didn’t accept you as a romantic hero?

No, I am okay with it. I wish more people had seen it. But I think it was very clear that people didn’t accept the pairing (with Pakhi, wife of director Abbas Tyrewala). The writing was clearly on the wall. You can’t dispute their choice. You can take the horse to the water but you can’t make him drink it. I think it’s fair and I think you should respect the audience with whatever verdict they pass.

What did you like so much about the original Tamil film Kaakha Kaakha to want to do Force?

Today when you see Force, you will see the action, the raw brutal action. But let me tell you when you walk out, you will walk out with the romance. And that’s what I liked about Kaakha Kaakha... the romance! I saw it and the romance stayed with me for a week. I fell in love with the romance in the film. In fact, Suriya, who played the hero in the original, is a very good friend. I told Suriya that I fell in love with Jyothika after I saw this film. And he was like... “even I fell in love with her”. And the two had got married after the film! The romance was that powerful. It’s a highly commercial film with a good mix of romance and action and heroism.

What does Nishikant Kamat bring on board, given that he comes from a completely different school of filmmaking?

Well, both Nishi and me were very clear that we were making a commercial film. What Nishi also brought to the table was his sense of screenplay, his sense of dialogue delivery and his sense of reality to the film. There’s nothing unbelievable about Force. You can never say: “This can’t happen in real life!” Even the scene where I am lifting the motorcycle, you will believe it. Because I went through so much to achieve that kind of physicality.

Did you go for more muscles and how many packs? Six pack has become so common...

(Laughs) No, no... Nishikant was very clear that this narcotics bureau officer needed to have a body that is like a machine... a cyborg! He was very clear that my body needed to be international. I think we have achieved that. I worked out for eight months, put on 10kg of mass and I just went through the works to get that body. And I had to maintain it for one year. With that size, of around 100kg, running around became an issue. So whenever I fell, I used to really get hurt but because it was all muscles, I never used to break bones.

Coming to your co-star, you had shot for a David Dhawan film with Genelia, Hook Ya Crook...

That film didn’t release. But I am happy that we have done this together. Because Genelia and me are so close in real life, the energy and chemistry translate on screen. And she is a darling. She is a beautiful woman. You will see the sensual, womanly side in her for the first time.

Has life changed John after the break-up with Bipasha? You two were together for so long...

No, no, nothing’s really changed. Life goes on and you have to look forward and see what life’s got to offer you. (Pauses and thinks) That’s all I can say, you know. I mean, what’s happened has happened. The future holds something new for both of us.

You two are in touch?

No, we don’t talk.

Calcutta must have been synonymous with Bipasha for you. Does it feel odd being here for the first time not as Bipasha’s John?

See, Calcutta is such a beautiful place... I am always going to have a love story with Calcutta. And there will be memories of course... they will always be there. But Calcutta will always be special to me just as Calcutta.

Are you really single?

At this point of time, I just spend time with family. I am just working so hard right now... I am on autopilot really. I wake up in the morning and go for the marketing of Force and look at schedules and plans of the next films and so on. There is no set agenda in life at the moment. I am taking each day as it comes.