Filmmaker, Vivek Agnihotri is known for speaking his mind, whether it’s about politics, actors of Bollywood in general. On the other hand, John Abraham has enjoyed a loyal fan base and his fair share of commercial success in the film industry with hits like Dhoom, Madras Cafe and Batla House. The duo worked together on the 2007 film, Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal and didn’t speak much about each other after it. However, the filmmaker recently didn’t hold back while reflecting on his experience of working with the actor and took a dig at John’s acting skills which has left the internet surprised.
Vivek Agnihotri criticises John Abraham’s acting skills
Vivek Agnihotri recently sat down for a chat with Dainik Bhaskar, where he recalled his memories of working on the 2007 film, Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. He talked about the different aspects of the film and criticised the lead actor, John Abraham’s acting skills. He claimed that the actor was struggling with simply delivering a few lines, and Vivek couldn’t understand why he was being paid in crores to act as a lead in films. Sharing his views, the filmmaker said:
“If an actor asks for reduced lines because he can’t deliver five sentences in rhythm, then why is he being paid crores?”
Since the film was based on the theme of football, the actors were made to learn the sport and get comfortable with it. Vivek shared that Arshad Warsi and Raj Zutshi worked hard and became good at it. However, John was not comfortable with the sport, which created additional problems for them. To solve the matter, they shot his close-ups and footwork separately. At the same time, the female lead of the film, Bipasha Basu and John, broke up around the same time which created extra emotional issues on set. Talking about the same, Vivek said:
“That became very difficult for me to handle.”
Vivek Agnihotri talks about his creative fallout with Anurag Kashyap and the makers of the film
Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane scripted Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. According to Vivek, the whole writing process was filled with confusion about who was leading the process. He stated that the makers didn’t see him as a writer and were more impressed with Anurag, who, according to Vivek, wasn’t focused on the work due to his personal issues. Despite that, the filmmaker claims that John and the producer, UTV’s officials, only spoke to Anurag. So, the director brought someone to step in to fix the incomplete and disorganised script. Justifying his situation, Vivek said:
“I respect Anurag and Vikramaditya as writers. Anurag’s problem is that he talks too much. He doesn’t realise what he says when he’s drunk. He has apologised to me multiple times for things he’s said.”
More about Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal
Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal was a sports drama directed by Vivek Agnihotri for UTV Pictures. It featured an ensemble cast including John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Arshad Warsi, and Boman Irani, among others. It was released on November 23, 2007, and received negative reviews upon release. However, the film managed to become moderately successful at the box office.
What do you think about Vivek Agnihotri’s views about John Abraham’s acting?
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