'RAW: Romeo Akbar Walter isn't a jingoistic, flag-saluting film'

John Abraham

Amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan, John Abraham brings yet another chapter of the countries' shared history in RAW: Romeo Akbar Walter. Said to be inspired by true events of 1971 which saw the subcontinent's most decisive battle marking the birth of Bangladesh, the thriller has the actor play a RAW agent who is sent undercover to Pakistan.

Point out that the film is releasing when there is a strong wave of patriotism in the country, and Abraham says it is a coincidence: "We do not want to sound like opportunists in this current situation because we had decided to release the film around this time, almost a year ago. Back then, the situation was certainly not the same. However, the film resonates with what is happening in the country."

John Abraham in the film

Narrating a pivotal historical chapter comes with its share of responsibilities. Abraham insists that the Robbie Grewal-directed venture maintains an objective view, thus steering clear of becoming a chest-thumping nationalist film. "When Robbie came to narrate the script, he wasn't sure if I will give a nod to the film. But when I heard the story, I immediately said yes. RAW isn't a jingoistic, flag-saluting film. It's an objective movie. No one is good or bad here; we are not depicting the other side as the bad side. It's a matter of how you look at things."

Be it Madras Cafe (2013) or Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran (2018), it is evident that the actor-producer does not shy away from being part of films that shine a spotlight on India's history - political or otherwise.

Ask him about his proclivity to patriotic films, and he says, "Earlier, people said I was doing only action films. So, it's all about what you project. I'm pro-secular and I would like to make films that reflect the true nature of this country. If there's a great patriotic film, I would love to do it. But I would not like to do jingoistic films. I am not anti another country, or against any other religion."

Also Read: Romeo Akbar Walter trailer: John Abraham as a RAW agent keeps you hooked

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