“Brand Dhoom is much larger than star cast” – Abhishek Bachchan

By Subhash K. Jha -

December 18, 2013 - 10:37 AM IST

For Abhishek Bachchan as well as Katrina Kaif, Dhoom 3 is their first release in 2013.

"It's not as if I planned it that way. After Bol Bachchan in May 2012, my career panned out in such a way that there was no release until now. Dhoom 3 kept getting repeatedly delayed for whatever reasons. And unfortunately for my fans and for Katrina's fans, there was no release in 2013. It wasn't planned that way. And I didn't miss myself on screen. I see myself every day in the mirror."

“Brand Dhoom is much larger than star cast” – Abhishek Bachchan

Abhishek says he felt no career pangs about being away for a longish time. "By the grace of God, I am not an insecure actor at all. And if you see the career-graph of others, no major actor does more than a couple of films per year. Aamir, for that matter, has not been in a film since Talaash, a year back. So...no! I don't feel insecure about not being on screen for some time."

Abhishek Bachchan has been a constant in the Dhoom franchise's journey from the time it took off in 2004.

Says Abhishek with a spot of vanity, "Pardon the immodesty, but Uday Chopra and I are Dhoom. The franchise chronicles the ongoing adventures of Jai and Ali, that's me and Uday. That's the format of the franchise. The other characters may come and go. But we go on forever. Like Batman & Robin. Can there be a Batman franchise without Batman?"

Having said that, Abhishek looks back with much affection at the journey. "From Dhoom to Dhoom 2 and now to Dhoom 3, it has been an amazing journey. To begin with, it was the story of the adventures of these 3 boys, me, Uday and John Abraham. Our producer Aditya Chopra suggested we try to re-define the action genre in our cinema. We were all young, hopeful and enthusiastic, eager to try out this experiment. How were we to know it would turn out the way it did?!"

Now Abhishek feels the Dhoom franchise is watched for being what it is. "Yes, there are stars in the film. Dhoom 2 had Hrithik and Aishwarya (and if I may say so, my wife was wonderful in the film). And now Dhoom 3 has Aamir and Katrina. But I think the brand Dhoom is much larger than star cast."

Abhishek feels the presence of a new director in the franchise brings all-new challenges to the table. "The other two Dhoom films were not directed by Victor (Vijay Krishna Acharya). So there is a new feel and flavour to the franchise that Uday and I could identify and feel since we are carryovers from the earlier life of the franchise. Victor had a different vision. Fans of the Dhoom series would be surprised by the changes in the franchise. Earlier the focus was on making a fun film. This is an edgier and darker Dhoom than the first two."

Abhishek has no leading lady in Dhoom 3. But he does have Aamir Khan. Abhishek can't stop raving about his formidable co-star. "I must have been 11 when Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak came out. It changed the way we look at love stories. The nation went crazy. We've loved and admired him for the kind of cinema he works in. Working with him was great learning experience."

Abhishek has lots of action scenes in the film. "Dhoom 3 was physically demanding. But I enjoyed all the action. It was like giving fancy toys to a boy to play with. I got to ride around in motorbikes and to ride these sleek motor-boats through these narrow canals in Chicago."

As for trade voices already predicting a 200-crore run for Dhoom 3, Abhishek opines nonchalantly, "These are expectations from within the industry. The audience doesn't care about how much money a film makes. Do you know the collections of your all-time favourite film Amar Prem? Audiences go to a film. They like or dislike it. That's it."