Delivering a successful film always gives you a high but when you and your co-producers are laughing all the way to the bank and are heaped with praise from the critics, it’s an experience to treasure. That’s what John Abraham feels about his first production, Vicky Donor. Here’s the proud producer in conversation with Sagorika Dasgupta
Let’s begin with the obvious question: Vicky Donor is a huge success. Did you expect the film to get such a positive response?
Yes, absolutely, I am elated. More than that, the success of the film has reinstated my faith in it, the team I worked with, the script and the actors that I cast. It has all been a very rewarding experience. Shoojit (Sircar) and I put everything into this film and we made sure we had to come up with a good product. I knew exactly what I was in for. I had read the script before we even started casting for the film.
Did you ever think it might be a risk to work with Shoojit Sircar, who had not directed a film for a long time, especially with a subject like sperm donation?
Shoojit is a great director and a great man. From the day I met him, I got a very good gut feeling about him. In fact, he and I were in touch for two years on our dream project. We were in the midst of working on Jaffna when we chanced upon the story of Vicky Donor. So we decided to focus all our attention on this film first. For Vicky Donor, we were clear about casting newcomers from the very start, to give it a fresh perspective. I had decided that I would not cast myself in the film and I was also sure that I would only remain true to the job of producing it.
What was your involvement with the film? Usually, when an actor turns producer, there is interference. 
I was involved with the film from its inception. I had read the first draft and looked into the changes in the draft as well. At that time, Shoojit had Ayushmann Khurrana in mind for the lead role. The moment we met Ayushmann, we could see the sincerity on his face. We felt he was a genuine guy who would be apt for the role. So we decided to cast him. I also didn’t keep loitering around on the sets. I visited the sets maybe twice or three times but I was updated on all that was happening.
Also, Shoojit and I were very clear that we would not make any announcements about the film till it was complete. Since it was my debut venture as a producer, I wanted to let our work speak for itself and we only brought the film into focus when it was complete. Thereafter, I was involved with the marketing, post-production, media planning and all the intricate details of film production. So my involvement as a producer was very hands-on.
There are four producers for this film…
Ok, let me explain this. Eros is a studio and my production house JA Entertainment has a 50:50 IPR share partnership. Along with JA, Shoojit’s company Rising Sun Films was also a partner. Ram Mirchandani wanted to launch his banner and was very keen on doing this with us. There was never any interference or any clash of ideas and so all the partnerships worked out really well.
Both Rising Sun and JA Entertainment were always on the same page and on every idea that was conceptualised. We were very organised and had decided on all the aspects of the film even before shooting began. We did our homework so that we were prepared for the shoot. And we were bang on target on all our decisions.
At the risk of sounding a little narcissistic, we have never seen any production venture with such results right from the first film that came out of a new company.This ease in our work relationship has triggered three other films that we will be producing under our banner.
