Bollywood
John Abraham: I do not have fear of failure

With an 18-year career in Bollywood that is filled with some of unusual choices of films that hold strong recall value, John Abraham is trying to cater both sections of audience – urban and mass. The actor says, he does not have the fear of failure and that drives him to take risks.
The actor is known for ‘Jism’,’Dhoom’, ‘Dostana’, ‘New York’, ‘Kabul Express’, to ‘Madras Cafe’, ‘Parmanu’, ‘Batla House’ and the latest released ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’.
While some of the above-mentioned films are very clearly commercial potboilers and some are much loved by the urban audience, asked if he has any strategy to make such choices, in conversation with IANS John opens his heart.
John told IANS : “I think the only strength that I have in my career since the beginning is, I have no fear of failure. Initially, there was a list of films that I did that were ahead of their time. So they did not work for the larger audience immediately after the release. I was ok with it. I also knew from the beginning that, every story has its set audience.
“If not instantly, eventually the story will find its audience. So, there are films that I did and that earned a lot of money at the box office, which wasn’t something I was expecting when I was making the film. I never put myself under pressure imagining the negative result of the end product. ‘Zyada se zyada kya hoga’, it won’t work for the audience, right? Ok, we will move on to the next film. I live film to film and keep moving on.”
His latest released film ‘Satyameva Jayate 2’, a Milap Zaveri directorial is a sequel to ‘Satyameva Jayate’.
How the new film picks up at the box office, one has to wait and watch.
Meanwhile, John shared some of the films that are very close to his heart.
‘Jism’: Released in 2003 the film received a lot of love and appreciation from the critics and audience alike. John said, “It will always remain a special film for me because it was my debut. My favourite song ‘Awarapan Banjarapan’! it was first time I got so much adulation from the audience. I realised how my long hair and physicality became a rage among youngstars but for me, back then, I was just a guy passionate about storytelling. Trust me, I am still the same.”
‘Dostana’: One of the most successful films that came out of Dharma Productions in 2008 featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, the film had a humorous take on the gay relationships. “When I read the script, I just found it funny. I was laughing throughout the reading season. That was it for me to come on board and do the film. Yes, the rest is history! But I wasn’t very calculative about it. I was going with the flow,” said John.
‘Dhoom’: Released in 2004 the first instalment of the franchise John, who played the traditional ‘bad guy’, really changed the image of the villain. Again, his physicality and passion for bikes created a rage among a whole new generation due to the success of the film. “When I look back I wonder how that magic happened really because I am the bad guy, I had no track of love story or song picturised on my in the film.
“All I had is the character and my bike! While I couldn’t predict the end result of the film that turned out so successful, I would go back to my earlier point, I had no fear of failure. You see, that is the point, my driving force,” said the actor.
Quite interestingly in all these films that become cult, John has received a lot of appreciation for his strong screen presence and good looks. Be it his bare body, long hair look in ‘Jism’, flaunting his biceps and walking around the Miami beach in ‘Dostana’ and biking in ‘Dhoom’.
Does the good looks put him into the box of non-actor, in the eyes of the critics?
“Hey, but I am the same guy who did a film called ‘New York’, a very important story that was. I did ‘Water’, ‘Madras Cafe’ and ‘Kabul Express’ too. I did a film called ‘Zinda’, ‘Force’…well the list is long and I am not being defensive here. I am trying to say in the initial stage of my career when I did those films, ‘subtle acting’ was not a trend then. So, the performance wasn’t noticed perhaps but those films are still watched and loved! Now, I am trying to reach out to every section of the audience, my choice of films is a reflection of that”, John signed off.
Bollywood
Ranvir Shorey criticizes MNS workers for assaulting a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi

Mumbai, July 3: Bollywood actor Ranvir Shorey took to social media to strongly condemn the actions of MNS workers who allegedly assaulted a Gujarati shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi.
Expressing his outrage, the actor called the incident shameful and unacceptable. He also tagged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in his post. The ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ actor took to his X handle to post a video that captured members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) allegedly attacking a restaurant owner in Mumbai’s Mira Road area over his inability to speak Marathi. Expressing his anger, Shorey described the incident as “disturbing” and voiced serious concerns about the current state of law and order in Maharashtra.
The actor tweeted, “This is sickening. Monsters on the loose, looking for attention and political relevance. Where’s L&O, @CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis ?.” Ranvir also hit back at trolls in the comments section of his post, giving a sharp and fitting response to those who tried to criticise him. One user asked the actor, “Since how many years you now live in Maharashtra? How much effort have you taken to learn Marathi?”
In his reply, Ranvir Shorey said, “First, I’m not answerable to a hateful anonymous troll like you for any of these questions. Second, you’re really dumb if you think beating people up will make them learn and speak a language. And finally, if you do want to bring attention to the issue, there are more positive & constructive ways to bring about change, or even protest for political mileage, instead of beating hapless citizens who’re just trying to make a living!”
A video that went viral on social media showed a group of men visiting a shop to buy food. The situation turned violent when they allegedly attacked the shop owner for not speaking in Marathi. The men were seen wearing scarves associated with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The incident took place in Bhayander, located in Maharashtra’s Thane district. It occurred shortly after the state government rolled back its decision to enforce a three-language policy, which had sparked criticism from the opposition.
Bollywood
Singer Rochak Kohli shares how AI is empowering musicians

Mumbai, July 3: Singer and composer Rochak Kohli, who is best known for his song, “Pani Da Rang,” believes that artificial intelligence is not a threat to musicians but a powerful tool that can enhance creativity.
In an exclusive interview with media, the singer shared his thoughts on the evolving role of AI in music. Kohli said he regularly uses AI for generating musical ideas, exploring new instruments, and staying updated with global trends. Rochak even admitted to creating videos using AI for his independent channel, adding that he sees it as a helpful resource rather than something to fear.
“I see AI as a tool—nothing more, nothing less. I use it quite a bit myself. Whether it’s for musical ideas, discovering new instruments, or global trends, it’s very useful. I’ve even made videos using AI on my independent channel. Rather than a threat, I think AI is empowering musicians.”
When asked about the growing remix trend in today’s music industry and whether he prefers original compositions or finds them risky, the singer shared, “Original compositions bring true satisfaction. When there’s a demand for a remix, we carefully consider the song, the reason behind it, and whether it adds value. Nowadays, people don’t accept remixes the way they did a decade ago, and I think that’s a positive shift—original music is finally getting its due.”
Talking about his new album, “Aap jaisa Koi,” Rochak stated, “I’ve composed two songs in this album—Jab Tu Sajan and Dhuaan Dhuaan, which is an intense track. The sequence of songs was a deliberate choice. We used a part of Jab Tu Sajan as a bridge into Dhuaan Dhuaan to ensure the emotional flow remained seamless and cohesive for the listener.”
Rochak Kohli added, “After a long time, I had the opportunity to work on a project where music played a pivotal role. Our first song, Jab Tu Sajan, was shot in a very unique style. It felt really good to see music being given its due importance again.”
Bollywood
Naseeruddin Shah breaks silence after being trolled for deleting post backing Diljit Dosanjh

Mumbai, July 2: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah took to social media to share a powerful message after deleting a post in support of Diljit Dosanjh.
Reflecting on the pressure and backlash that followed, Shah reflected on truth and silence in a thought-provoking message, quoting German scientist and philosopher Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. The ‘Omkara’ actor took to his Facebook handle and wrote, “It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody’s beard. -Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, scientist and philosopher (1 Jul 1742-1799).”
The line, though centuries old, seems to have resonated deeply in the current context, subtly highlighting the backlash the veteran actor faced for removing his post. In the post, he had made religious remarks against those criticizing Diljit Dosanjh’s collaboration with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film ‘Sardaar Ji 3.’ Shah clarified that the actor had no role in the decision to cast Hania Aamir in the film.
In his now deleted post, Naseeruddin Shah wrote, “I stand Firmly With Diljit. The dirty tricks deptt of Jumla Party has been awaiting a chance to attack him. They think they’ve got it at last. He was not responsible for the casting of the film, the director was. But no one knows who he is whereas Diljit is known the world over, and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned.”
The 74-year-old actor added, “What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and some dear friends there and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever i feel like it. And my response to those who will say “Go to Pakistan” is Go To Kailasa.”
A section of users on X criticized the veteran actor for taking down his post merely a day after he had spoken out against the backlash aimed at Diljit Dosanjh.
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