Amid Tehran skipping theatrical release, John Abraham on Saiyaara's success: 'Want people to come back to the theatres'

After a long time, Bollywood is back to its pure romantic era, as Mohit Suri's Saiyaara has been ruling the box office numbers as well as the hearts of fans. The film stars two new faces: Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday. Both of them captivated hearts with their natural acting. Not only fans but also celebrities praised the film. Now joins John Abraham who also reacted to Saiyaara's success, while he is gearing up for the direct OTT release of his film, Tehran. 

John Abraham on Saiyaara's success

Speaking to India Today, John Abraham reacted to the success of Saiyaara, which has been ruling theaters and the box office. John, who expressed disappointment over his film Tehran skipping theatrical release and releasing directly on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium), said that he wants people to go to theaters. 

He gave credit to Mohit Suri because he directed Saiyaara so well. But also added that the major credit goes to Aditya Chopra for getting a film out theatrically with two newcomers. "His faith in newcomers worked. I really hope the film goes on to enjoy more success. I want all these films to run because I want people to come back to the theatres," he said. 

When asked if digital can coexist with theatres, he said, "Yes, absolutely. It can co-exist. Look at us. I mean, I'm a guy who only wanted to come in theatres. But today, my film wouldn't have seen the light of day had it not been for Zee5. So, you must understand and be grateful for where you can be because, at the end of the day, I'm an artiste. I want my work to be seen. And I got that platform. So I am happy.”

Also Read: John Abraham thinks Tehran wouldn't have passed censorship to be shown in theaters; Here's why

John Abraham on Tehran skipping theatrical release

John said that he believes Tehran deserved a theatrical release. He has often said that he is a big-screen actor. "But I understand the predicament of this film because what we thought was our biggest advantage — the Iran-Israel conflict — turned out to be our Achilles heel. We were told that the content was supposedly too explosive to get into theatres, if you can read between the lines. And this was not only in India, but even internationally,” John said. He also expressed his gratefulness to ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) for actually giving Tehran a platform.

Meanwhile, in Tehran, Abraham plays ACP Rajiv Kumar, who is caught between duty and conscience in a mission that blurs the lines of patriotism and rebellion. The movie is set to premiere directly on ZEE5, accessible via OTTplay Premium on August 14. It also stars Manushi Chhillar and Sonam Bajwa. 

FAQs

Q: Will Saiyaara release on OTT?

A: Saiyaara will be released on Netflix after its theatrical run. 

Q: Where can I watch John Abraham's Tehran?

A: Tehran, the geopolitical action thriller starring John Abraham, is slated for a digital release on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium). It will be released on August 14, 2025.

Q: Is Tehran a movie or a series?

A: John Abraham's Tehran is a movie based on real-life incidents.

Q: Why is the Tehran movie not released?

A: Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, John Abraham said that it faced a delay because of the conflicts and controversies that are happening internationally. The actor added, “Theatres were a little wary of picking up a film that had Iran and Israel in it. We had a choice of either showing the film somewhere or not showing it at all.”

Q: Is John Abraham a Hindu?

A: His father is a Syrian Christian from Kerala and his mother is a Zoroastrian Irani. Abraham's Zoroastrian name is "Farhan", but he was baptised with the name "John." He considers himself a spiritual person but does not follow any particular religion.