Milap Zaveri Opens Up on Rift with John Abraham After Satyameva Jayate 2 Flop

Director Admits His ‘Love’ for the Actor Hurt the Film’s Story and Strained Their Friendship

Following the box office failure of Satyameva Jayate 2, rumors swirled about a fallout between lead actor John Abraham and director Milap Zaveri. In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Zaveri recently admitted that his admiration for the actor played a significant role in the film’s downfall. He confessed that the project became more about showcasing John than crafting a compelling narrative, which ultimately backfired.

The movie, starring John Abraham and Divya Khosla Kumar, was a high-budget affair costing Rs. 93 crore, but it failed to connect with audiences. Reflecting on the film’s reception, Zaveri admitted, “I was so enamored by John that I tried to make him do everything on screen. But that love worked against us, and the story suffered as a result.”

The director also revealed that the film’s failure caused tension between him and the Dostana star, leading to two to three months of no communication. “I called and messaged him, and though he replied, he expressed that he was deeply hurt by the outcome. He told me, ‘Main dukhi hu, iss film pe mera bahut daromadar tha’ (I’m sad; I had a lot riding on this film). His disappointment was palpable, and it affected both of us deeply,” Zaveri shared.

The director also revealed that the film’s failure caused tension between him and the Dostana star, leading to two to three months of no communication. “I called and messaged him, and though he replied, he expressed that he was deeply hurt by the outcome. He told me, ‘Main dukhi hu, iss film pe mera bahut daromadar tha’ (I’m sad; I had a lot riding on this film). His disappointment was palpable, and it affected both of us deeply,” Zaveri shared.

However, after some time apart, the two eventually reconciled. “He came to see me, and we hugged it out. John even told me he’s open to working with me again,” the director revealed, indicating that the friendship had started to mend, though it isn’t as close as before. Zaveri remains optimistic about collaborating with John on a future action film, hinting that he plans to pitch the idea soon.

Currently, Milap Zaveri is working on Masti 4 with Riteish Deshmukh, while John Abraham is gearing up for upcoming projects like The Diplomat and Tehran. Despite the rough patch, both seem ready to move forward, with hopes of creating something better in the future.