Tehran: John Abraham expresses disappointment over film skipping theatrical release; 'Because of the conflict and the controversies'
John Abraham's upcoming geopolitical action-thriller, Tehran, is directly releasing on ZEE5 via OTTplay Premium, skipping theatrical release. here's how John reacted to it!
Last Updated: 12.14 PM, Aug 04, 2025
John Abraham's geopolitical action thriller Tehran has officially skipped theatrical release and is all set to land directly on ZEE5 via OTTplay Premium on August 14. The trailer for the film looks promising, leading fans to demand a theatrical release. Ahead of the OTT release, John opened up about the film and expressed disappointment over Tehran skipping theatrical release.
John Abraham on Tehran skipping theatrical release
Ahead of Tehran's direct OTT release, John Abraham told Bollywood Hungama that skipping the theatrical release was mentally difficult — especially for an actor who is deeply committed to the big screen experience.
John shared, “It's very disheartening. I mean, I'm not going to mince my words on it, it breaks your heart, especially for an actor who always wants to be on the big screen. We had to make a very informed decision on this. Because of the conflict and the controversies happening around, even internationally, theatres were a little wary of picking up a film that had Iran and Israel in it.”
John made it clear that the makers had two options: either not release the film at all or find a digital platform to take the bold story forward, and fortunately, ZEE5 intervened.
Despite the situation, John is proud of the film's artistic integrity and global perspective. He concluded, “I treat this more like a foreign film in a way. When you see the film, you'll understand what I'm saying. It's got a lot of Farsi in it. It's got a lot of Hebrew in it. The film’s only one hour, 50 minutes. It would probably not resonate with a larger audience.”
About Tehran
Tehran, starring John Abraham and Manushi Chhillar, directed by Arun Gopalan, and produced by Dinesh Vijan, is loosely based on real events and follows ACP Rajeev Kumar (John Abraham), who embarks on a dangerous, cross-border mission to save his country. The trailer reveals the story of a hero caught between international intrigue, political maneuvering, and patriotism and personal choice, which ultimately questions his loyalty.
Catch John Abraham's Tehran on ZEE5 via OTTplay Premium on August 14, 2025!
FAQs
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.”