Open letter to John Abraham on being available for Rs 399 on OTT

Dear John Abraham , Open letters can be tricky. While sometimes, they do have the intended effect and end up reaching the right person (which, in this case, is you) - at times, they become nothing more than social media fodder. Hope the latter doesn’t happen in this case.  When I heard your ‘big screen hero’ comment, my first reaction wasn’t disgust at the sheer snobbery and elitism with which you insulted very talented and able actors on the Indian OTT platforms. That came much later. At first, I was surprised. Surprised at just how deluded you are, not just about your existence and public perception but also about the way movie business works, which was particularly surprising, given that you’ve been in the movies for almost a couple of decades now. To begin with, do you even know how much a movie ticket costs? When you say, I don’t want to be available for Rs 299 and Rs 499 - a movie ticket costs approximately the same if not lesser. Now obviously you wouldn’t be happy if someone ‘shut off your film midway’ on a tablet and walked off. Just to remind you, people can still walk out of movie theaters if they don’t like a film - something which I did when I went to watch your 2016 film _Dishoom_ . So yeah - OTT or not, viewers can reject your film, unless, of course, you hold them in the theater at gunpoint and have a hostage situation - which honestly, after what you said, wouldn’t be surprising. And then, of course, you do not like people attending to nature’s call while watching your films. Now, one cannot pause a film in a theater - but you cannot expect us all to wear adult diapers and watch you on the big screen, can you? I am sure you too pause films in the middle and attend to nature’s call, don’t you? I am sure there are people who would pause films starring lesser mortals like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino if their bladder is bursting, but how dare they do it to you given your legendary status, right? John, I know you love gymming, There have been accusations of you shaming journalists for their weight too, but that’s for another day. My question to you is - is there a gym for the muscles in the brain? If yes, will it be possible for you to attend it? The only reason I ask you this is the sheer elitism and snobbery with which you insulted the hard work of the talented directors, producers and actors who’ve made phenomenal shows in the Indian OTT space.  You, John, are what the Indian cinema needs - except, no one seems to think this way except you. John - I hate to break it to you but you are so delusional, that it is worrying. I can imagine you being surrounded by ‘yes men’ who just hype up everything you do and massage your ego. But that is a dangerous way to live. You are in dire need of a reality check and you must eat the humble pie for your sake. OTT is not ‘beneath’ you. In fact, it is so above you, that you might not ever be able to reach it, at least in this lifetime. I’d be very happy if you prove me wrong, but so far, there hasn’t been much for me to feel that way, What makes you think you are entitled to the time of the audience? You should be thankful you even have a career because of their love. Now you want them to burst their bladders and tolerate you flexing your muscles for the billionth time on the big screen? John, I hate to break it to you, but even you might not be able to watch some of your own work on the big screen without pausing it and thinking, ‘wait, did I just do that?’. My only advice to you would be to eat the humble pie and not be so delusional about your stature in the movie industry. You are just one of the cogs in a giant wheel that is this industry and frankly, not even an important cog. The day you establish yourself as a big name, I’d be more than happy to correct myself. But for now, you really need to keep your ego, which is the size of the Empire State Building right now, in check. As for me, after seeing Dishoom, I wouldn’t watch a film starring you even if I was paid for it. Read all the  **Latest News** **,**  **Trending News** **,**  **Cricket News** **,**  **Bollywood News** **,**  **India News**  and  **Entertainment News**  here. Follow us on  Facebook**,**  Twitter and  Instagram**.**