Happy Birthday John Abraham: Dhoom to Satyameva Jayate, Top 5 movies that turned him from antagonist to a hero

One of the most bankable and handsome actors in Bollywood, John Abraham is a name that reminds us of all the iconic villain in Dhoom who stylishly stole away the money and then sacrificed his life in the end. The dapper actor also reminds of us a number of patriotic films he has been a part of in recent years. From being the anti-hero to evoking nationalist sentiments as his career progressed, John has managed to carve a niche for himself. Today, John turns 47 and his ardent fans would be looking forward to seeing their favourite star celebrating his special day. 

The handsome and talented actor has managed to win hearts of fans with his prolific performances in films like Race 2, Dhoom, Madras Cafe, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran, Satyamev Jayate, Batla House, Desi Boyz and many more. In the coming days too, John is coming with some smashing content in films like Mumbai Saga, Attack and Satyameva Jayate 2. As the model-turned-actor turns 47 today, we decided to put together a list of his top 5 films that made him go from the antagonist to nation’s favourite patriotic hero. 

1. Dhoom

In the year 2004, a few years after his debut in Jism, John decided to step into the shoes of a cool biker thief who plans an impossible heist from a casino with his gang. Yes, we are talking about John, Abhishek Bachchan starrer Dhoom. The film managed to break the box office and John’s performance as the scheming antagonist was loved. John also got to show off his love for bikes in the film as he became Kabir, the coolest thief in the film. 

2. New York

In 2009’s film, New York, John showed us the vulnerable side of being a Muslim in the US after the 9/11 attacks. A young university student turns a suspect for the US Feds who torture him to such an extent that he breaks and decides to avenge himself and bomb the FBI building. The film established John as a bankable star and he managed to leave an impression in the minds of the audience with his acting as Sameer. His most memorable scene from the film was when he was locked up by the feds in a box and he kept shouting that he isn’t a terrorist. The vulnerability surely resonated with Asians in the US and of course, domestic audience. 

3. Madras Cafe

A film that traced the events that lead to the assassination of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, Madras Cafe starred John Abraham as the officer Major Vikram Singh who is given the duty by RAW to head covert operations after Indian peace-keeping force was forced to withdraw. John’s performance in the film managed to impress his fans and the film is considered one of the closest accounts of the assassination of the former Indian Prime minister. While John’s character becomes aware of the conspiracy, his performance showed more crispness which is remembered by fans till date. 

4. Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran

One of John’s recent films, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran showcases India’s tryst of becoming a nuclear superpower. His performance as IAS Ashwat Raina left everyone in awe of his acting ability. Playing the role of the officer with subtlety, he showed his fans that without the use of guns and much action, he can leave an impact with just his performance. His dedication and determination as Ashwat to make the covert mission success could be felt in his understated performance. Another one of the gems from the handsome yet seasons actor. 

5. Satyameva Jayate

2018’s film Satyameva Jayate showcased John as a police officer who brutally murders corrupt cops in the system. As Vir, John represented everyone in the country who wanted to end corruption in the police department but failed to do so. When he devises his own ways to deal with corrupt officers, the audience surely cheered him. Also, fans loved seeing John doing action in the film. Directed by Milap Zaveri, Satyamev Jayate was one of the hit films of John’s career. A sequel, reportedly, is in the works. 

Apart from these films, John has managed to establish himself as a consistent performer with many others like Race 2, Dishoom, Romeo Akbar Walter and more. Even in the genre of romantic-comedy, films like Pagalpanti, Welcome Back, Desi Boyz, and Dostana have proved that his comic timing is impeccable. With three more films lined up in the future, we can only hope that the winning streak of the actor continues. Here’s wishing John Abraham, Happy Birthday!

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