Despite critical acclaim and audience love, The Diplomat was dismissed by major OTT platforms, reveals John Abraham. The actor calls its box office success a “sweet victory.”
March 21, 2025: The Diplomat, starring John Abraham and directed by Shivam Nair, may be winning hearts in theatres now, but the actor has revealed that several OTT platforms initially rejected the film, calling it “not good enough.”
Speaking to Pinkvilla, John candidly shared that streaming services dismissed the political thriller outright, even before audiences got a chance to see it.
“Some OTT channels have refused The Diplomat because they didn’t find it great. They didn’t find it good. They rejected the film; they threw it out,” said John.
According to the actor, the lack of confidence started from the studio side, which tried to mitigate its risk by shopping the film to OTTs. However, the platforms turned it down—only to be proven wrong by the film’s strong reception.
Released in cinemas on March 14, 2025, The Diplomat explores complex themes around India-Pakistan relations, diplomacy, and personal conflict—drawing inspiration from real events.
John further added,
“Expectations from this film were zero. So when a film goes from zero to ten, it’s a crazy high. I’ve had people come to me and say, ‘Does this studio even realise they have the best film of the last ten years under their belt?’ That’s a huge win for me.”
Produced by JA Entertainment, T-Series, Seeta Films, Wakaoo Films, and Fortune Pictures, the film is now enjoying both box office traction and critical praise, defying the rejection it faced during its pre-release phase.
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John Abraham, The Diplomat, OTT rejection, Shivam Nair, Bollywood thriller, India-Pakistan relations, JA Entertainment, T-Series, political drama, Bollywood box office, The Diplomat success, John Abraham interview