Anurag Kashyap, known for his versatility, recently revealed that he wanted to make a film with John Abraham called No Smoking. The idea of the film came to him while travelling in a rickshaw to meet John.
However, the actor rejected the initial concept of playing a “bad actor” in No Smoking, believing that it reinforced existing perceptions about him and expressed his desire for a role that would give him the opportunity to showcase his acting abilities.
Anurag Kashyap reveals he wanted to make ‘Ugly’ with John Abraham
According to the Indian Express, Anurag Kashyap explained the origins of his film No Smoking. He said the concept was centered on a self-obsessed, narcissistic chain smoker who agrees to give up his habit to save his marriage. He said it was inspired by his own life, as people around him were asking him to quit filmmaking because his films were facing difficulties in getting released.
Anurag further said that when he first came up with the idea of No Smoking, he was in a different mood. He said that Vishal Bharadwaj, who had recently made Omkara, offered to make a film for him and asked if he had a script. Kashyap had No Smoking ready.
Kashyap, who was in a desperate state and had no money when his friends suggested him to cast John in the film, immediately agreed to meet him. It was during the rickshaw ride to Abraham’s house that Kashyap began to think of a new idea for the actor.
Kashyap said that the story of No Smoking was already in his mind as it was similar to his life, but he was not sure who would play the role. While sitting in a rickshaw, he started thinking of a story in which a bad actor is unemployed. Despite not having seen any of Abraham’s films, he had heard people criticising Abraham’s acting skills.
However, when he met John Abraham, he found him wonderful. He pitched the idea of No Smoking to Abraham, who Kashyap liked. Abraham, acknowledging the negative perception about his acting, sought a role in which he could actually act. Abraham provided Kashyap with the funding to write the script and he then moved to the US, where he wrote both No Smoking and Return of Hanuman.
On returning to India, Vishal Bharadwaj also offered to make a film for him and Anurag Kashyap made No Smoking for him. This film about a failed actor, which evolved into Ugly in 2013, was originally conceived during a rickshaw ride to meet Abraham.
Released in 2013, the film Ugly featured actors like Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapuri, Vineet Kumar Singh, Girish Kulkarni and Surveen Chawla.