Industry Follows Ineffective Set Templates During Promotions: John Abraham

Mumbai: Actor John Abraham says that word of mouth is most important for the films to do well and that the film industry follows set templates during promotions, which are often ineffective.

"I believe that if your film is good, it'll work, if it's not good, it'll not work, like when it doesn't connect in a way. I just feel that the most important thing is word of mouth. So whatever we say about the film, I think it's the film that has to speak for itself.

"Like in advertising, there is a saying that 50 per cent of what we spend on advertising is waste, but we don't know what 50 per cent. Similarly, during promotions, we don't know what is effective and what is not effective. We follow a set template which, according to me, is very ineffective," John said during a promotional event for his film Dishoom at a radio station.

John, along with his co-stars Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez, have been promoting the film through the trailer and songs at various platforms like reality shows, fitness events, colleges among others.

Asked about promotions getting hectic, John said: "It's hectic if you're wasting your time; if you're enjoying it, it's not hectic. Varun and me have two different takes on it. Varun loves going out there and pushing it.

"We are complete opposites, but that's why we get along so well. If I am busy somewhere then Varun will go there and promote, and if he is busy, I promote. It's a very unsaid relationship that we have and the audience understands, they see us and feel that the pair is special, fun, easy and not even forced."

Varun said: "The bonding and banter between Kabir and Junaid (their characters) is what we are trying to bring out. Kabir and Junaid are extremely different in the film. Similarly in real life, we have different viewpoints.

"And that is what makes Dishoom interesting. It's a very unspoken bond that we have, eventually John Abraham means 'Dishoom and Varun Dhawan means Dishoom. Eventually all this (promotions) doesn't matter, the film matters and the film is what talks; we can't force people more than a level to see the film," he added.

Dishoom releases on July 29.