John Abraham postponed Rocky Handsome for Shruti Haasan : Bollywood News

After the comic romp in Welcome Back, audiences were supposed to go straight to John Abraham's action avatar in Nishikant Kamat's Rocky Handsome. While Welcome Back opened in the first week of September, Rocky Handsome was scheduled for the first week of October.

But now Rocky Handsome will open on February 5.

Explaining the reason for the change John said, "Rocky Handsome again has me and Shruti Haasan in the lead. It would've been a bit of an overdose especially considering that I had not been seen in any film for two years before Welcome Back."

John Abraham is very confident about Rocky Handsome. "It doesn't matter when it is released. It is a very powerful story. It's got terrific action. But action on its own cannot attract audiences. Rocky Handsome also has a solid emotional content. People have liked the bond between the hero and the little girl in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Rocky Handsome too has this powerful bonding between me and a little girl which will move the audiences to tears. My director Nishikant Kamat and I are very confident about the film, no matter when it releases."

The film was meant to be titled Johnny Handsome, a tribute to the film's leading man's matinee idol looks.

Concedes John, "Yes, we wanted the title Johnny Handsome. But that is the title of a well-known Mickey Rourke gangster film from Hollywood. We just didn't get it. I am happy with Rocky Handsome. Rocky Balboa is one of my favourite heroes."

John Abraham is all praise for his director Nishikant Kamath. "Nishi and I go back a long way. We've been planning many films together. Then we did Force. Now Rocky Handsome. We'll definitely be working together again. In fact I am shooting for the sequel to Force right now. But Nishi is not directing it. Abhinay Deo is."