Bollywood star John Abraham is taking a leaf out of the book of American heavies like Robert de Niro and Al Pacino for Nishikant Kamat's Tamil-remake Khaka Khaka.
The Bollywood hunk, whose last film was the 2009 hit New York, is trying to keep his preparations a secret. But all of his neighbours know what's happening in the actor's penthouse apartment at Land's End, Bandra.
John's dilemma for Khaka Khaka was this: in New York, he played a terrorist; and now, he has to act as a narcotics cop. So what did he do apart from working out religiously for the last few weeks to get the perfect cop physique? Through sources, he contacted Narcotics Cell officers and invited them home to hobnob with him over tea, says a media report.
His neighbours, who are used to John's ways, are amused at the number of policemen streaming in and out of the actor's residence. “You can still tell a cop from a mile away,” said one neighbour.
Apart from understanding first hand how the Narcotics Cell works, John is keenly observing the officers' body language which he hopes to copy down to the minutest detail.
Sheepishly admitting that the sharpeyed, closecropped, toughlooking men who have been his visitors are plainclothes cops from the Narcotics Cell, John said, “There is a difference between them and regular policemen. And that difference is in the mental makeup. Sometimes undercover cops have to operate very much like outlaws, but the difference is in the intent.”
