Filmmakers have begun to look beyond my body: John

Mumbai: From showing off his chiseled body in `Dostana` to flexing his muscles in `Force`, John Abraham`s body has been a central point for directors but the actor feels, now directors no longer approach him for his physique.

"Films are a visual medium... From Shahrukh to Aamir.. everybody maintains a great body as they realize that it is a visual medium, and that their body should be good. But that was never my concentration. `Body` will never be my central point. But I know how my audience talks to me...they say what a great body he has got..why should I loose that," John told PTI in an interview. "People die to have this kind of physique and I worked so hard for it. So why not play around with it, why not do things, as it will only add to my characterisation," he said. But now 38-year-old actor feels Bollywood times are changing and filmmakers are looking at the other side of John Abraham. "Directors are not worried, like usually in the past the perception was John Abraham - the body. I think directors have put in more confidence into me and producers are also putting in complete confidence in me," John said. "Today when Sanjay Gupta talks to me about `Shootout at Wadala` he tells me you are playing a Maharashtrain guy wearing a loose shirt with a trouser, where is the body. I think I have progressed way beyond," he said. In Nishikant Kamath`s `Force`, an action-thriller, John essayed the role of a super cop. Apparently, this was John`s first film that got a good opening at the box office. Since then he has been keen on doing more action films. "People ask me why after `Dhoom` I haven`t done any action film. `Force` released with six films on the same day.Next week there were seven films up for release. There were 13 releases in two weeks and yet `Force` got my biggest opening. It says that people like to see me in this avatar," John said. "I want to do more action films. I want ACP Yashwardhan`s character to live on...But we have never discussed `Force 2` not with Nishikant or with Vipul. I would love to do `Force 2`. I would love to continue with it..it is a great brand," he said. John started his innings in Bollywood with thriller films like `Jism`, `Saaya` and `Kaal`.. He then did action with `Dhoom` and again changed his gears with romantic-comedies like `Dostana` and `Jhootha Hi Sahi`. Now the films, which are lined up for release next year include Abbas-Mustan`s action thriller `Race 2` in November, Sanjay Gupta`s `Shooutout at Wadala`, a crime-action-thriller and Sajid Khan`s `Housefull 2`, in April next year. Ask him if formula films work, John says, "When I have experimented I have always failed..be it `No Smoking`, `Kabul Express`, `Aashayein`. I do feel formula, commercial films do work." "In the commercial space if you experiment then it works like `Dostana` was an experiment but if I do `No Smoking` then it would not work. I intend do four commercial films and one this kind of film," he said. PTI