Actor John Abraham and director Nikkhil Advani first collaborated on the 2007 romantic comedy *Salaam-E-Ishq*, which also featured a large ensemble cast and six interwoven love stories. John Abraham and Vidya Balan played one of the romantic pairs in the film. However, following the film’s lackluster performance, John and Nikkhil parted ways and did not maintain contact for several years.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Nikkhil revealed, “John and I hardly saw each other after *Salaam-E-Ishq*. It wasn’t until we worked together on *Satyameva Jayate* that our friendship was rekindled. During that period, we both focused on our own projects and did not stay in touch.” *Satyameva Jayate*, produced by Nikkhil and directed by Milap Zaveri, turned out to be a surprise hit, though its sequel released in 2021 was a flop. They later worked together on Nikkhil’s directorial venture *Batla House*. Nikkhil noted that he and John now enjoy a comfortable and friendly working relationship.
Nikkhil reflected on the impact of *Salaam-E-Ishq’s* failure, explaining that it deeply affected him and led him to retreat from Mumbai. He secluded himself at his house in Alibaug, avoiding all contact, including with his daughter. “I left Mumbai and went to my bungalow in Alibaug. I shut everything down and didn’t talk to anyone, not even my daughter,” he recounted.
When asked about John Abraham’s reaction to the film’s failure, Nikkhil humorously noted, “We didn’t speak for 20 years. After *Salaam-E-Ishq*, I decided not to communicate with anyone.” The film was released 17 years ago, and *Satyameva Jayate* came out six years ago.
Nikkhil Advani and John Abraham have reunited for their latest project, *Vedaa*, which also stars Sharvari.