"In Canada 'Water' has catered to an all-white audience. And they were completely taken aback. If I have to reach to a global audience I'd rather do it through a film on an Indian theme like 'Water'," said John.
"Water" depicts the plight of widows in the 1930s' India. John plays an idealistic young man who falls in love with a widow played by Lisa Ray.
The film won the Best Film award in at the Bangkok International Film Festival last month. It has also proved a smash hit in Canada, having opened five film festivals and grossed almost two million dollars at the Canadian box office since November.
John is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan and feels indebted to him because when most of the established actresses refused to work with him, Big B came to his rescue.
"At a time when big heroines refused to work with me Mr. Amitabh Bachchan worked with me in 'Aetbaar'. Mr. Bachchan and Bipasha Basu have been very supportive. I am very close to Abhishek and the entire Bachchan family. I wouldn't want anyone to say anything negative about them," tells John.