The talented Ranvir Shorey plays John's friend in the film. Not many know that Abbas Tyerwala (writer, Maqbool, Munnabhai MBBS, Salaam Namaste) was going to do it.
Another character called Kiku Sharda (who plays a doctor in the film) was supposed to be played by director Raj Kumar Santoshi!
A character actor called Vineet Sharma has played seven characters in the film. He keeps bumping into John -- sometimes as a cab driver, or a watchman or a liftman...
Ayesha Takia plays his wife, and has a double role in the film.
Girlfriend Bipasha Basu will be seen in an item number called Phook de. But John clearly does not like the words 'item number.'
"Bipasha has a special appearance in No Smoking. It is not an item number. It is part of the script. Vishal Bhardwaj (music composer) said he couldn't think of anyone but Bipasha. That's how she got it, and not because of my involvement with the film. Vishal had earlier done Omkara with Bipasha. He told her that Phoonk de would be one up on Beedi Jalayle."
After No Smoking, John will be seen in Nagesh Kukunoor's Aashayen, which also stars Anaitha (more famous as Chak De! India's Aliya), Farida Jalal and Girish Karnad.
John has also signed on Sriram Raghvan's yet-untitled next and Karan Johar's next with Abhishek Bachchan. Of course, before these movies, John will be seen in Vivek Agnohitri's Goal, with Arshad Warsi and Bipasha Basu.
"I was hoping and praying that Chak De would work. Firstly, because it is a Shah Rukh Khan film and I feel close to him. And also because I had a sports film coming up," John says honestly.
Also read: Bollywood's worst dressed ladies!
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