John Abraham SLAMS patriotic films made with no 'nuance' or ‘craft’ amid Vivek Agnihotri’s VIRAL ‘protein’ remark: ‘It is a scary sight to see’

John Abraham’s journey in cinema has been full of shifts. He began his career with films like ‘Jism’ in 2003 and later moved into light-hearted comedies such as ‘Garam Masala’ and ‘Dostana’. Over time, his choices changed as he started working in films that carried strong political and patriotic themes, including ‘Madras Café’, ‘Parmanu’, and most recently ‘The Diplomat’.This shift, John believes, comes with a responsibility. When actors and filmmakers tell stories rooted in politics or patriotism, they must ensure they do it with thought and care.In an interview with PTI, John stressed that films about the nation do not need to shout loudly to be meaningful. "Films can be patriotic in a restrained and responsible way without being jingoistic," he said.He explained this with the example of his film ‘The Diplomat’, where he plays diplomat J P Singh. "There are films that are patriotic that make a lot of sense," John said. He added, "Not because I have done it, but The Diplomat is one of those films where you're not jingoistic, you're not beating your chest. But you are patriotic in a resilient, silent, and restrained way."John also reflected on the times we live in. His words carried a strong warning about how society is being shaped today. He explained, "Please understand and remember my words, I think we are living in a hyper political environment where religion is dividing us very conclusively, which is not the most conducive environment to live in.""Some films are taking advantage of that and bringing in the numbers. That's really unfortunate to see because when you see certain films, you see there is no nuance or craft there, but you see that there are tropes. And it is a scary sight to see today," he added.John’s remarks also sparked a sharp reaction from filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri. Earlier, John had said that he will never do films that sway people politically, giving examples such as ‘The Kashmir Files’.Agnihotri hit back in an interview with NDTV, asking John to avoid commenting on cinema altogether. He said, “He is known for driving motorbikes, showing his body and eating protein, he should focus on those things. Filmon mein naa hi ghuse toh behtar hai (better if he doesn't get into talking about films)."