When John Abraham revealed he was asked to change his name to Farhan: ‘I have been baptized and I am proud…’

Actor John Abraham once revealed that he was often encouraged to use his Irani name ‘Farhan’ in the early days of his career. However, he said that he never wanted to change his name despite people pushing him to do so, as he had been baptized as John Abraham.

Speaking to Simi Garewal, John had opened up about the insecurities and crippling fears he used to face as a child, and how he would always pray to be taller and ‘better looking’ as he was always worried about his pimples. Asked if he had been pushed to change his name, he said, “There was a movie called Aitbaar before Jism, the producer asked me, ‘John, don’t you have another name?’ So I responded, ‘Yes I know John Abraham sounds like a person who has pizzas and burgers in his house and who cannot fit in here’, like an angrez. I do have an Irani name, Farhan. A lot of people said, why don’t you use Farhan in films? The Khans are doing well, there’s Salman, Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan, there can be a Farhan.”

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When Simi asked if he would have been a Farhan Khan, he said, “Farhan Irani, because my mother’s maiden name is Irani. But I have been baptized, and my name is John, and I am proud of my name. Why should I change my name for anybody in this world?” During the course of the conversation, John revealed  his difficulties as an outsider, and said that he created a ‘niche’ for himself. “Niche, I’ve been told by directors, and if others are dal-chawal, I am caviar, but I realised that it means I won’t get roles like others.”

Simi also prodded him about his ‘understanding’ of women, and he answered that he liked ‘simple’ women and not ‘complicated women’ who have a ‘thousand issues’. He said, “I choose not to understand those women. I think women are harder working and more trusting than men. If I was a leader, I would have women bodyguards.”