'I was in serious depression during the shooting of Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar.'
'I realised that this is not the film I wanted to make. Aamir told me we will redo, remove eight key characters and reshoot.'
'He gave me the confidence and told me it was a timeless script.'
Cousins Aamir Khan and Mansoor Khan grew up together.
They started their film careers with the smashing hit Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak that ushered the era of romantic films and unforgettable music.
Aamir stormed into audiences' hearts and went on to work in Hindi cinema's most successful films.
Mansoor Khan turned his back on the movies after directing four films and moved to a quiet hill station. He bought cows, started a home stay and made cheese.
He also wrote two books The Third Curve: The End Of Growth As We Know It and One: The Story Of The Ultimate Myth.
"If anyone criticises my films, I don't get upset, but if they criticise my books, I am ready to drink their blood," he says with a laugh.
One is slated to be made into a film by Aamir later this year.
Over the years, Mansoor Khan has continued to provide feedback on Aamir's projects and sat on script narrations.
He has keenly followed his younger cousin's career, watched his movies and revelled in his performances.
As Aamir approaches his 60th birthday on March 14, Mansoor discusses the Aamir Effect on Hindi cinema with Rediff.com's Archana Masih, "When Laal Singh Chaddha failed, he took the blame himself and did not hold anyone else responsible. In fact, he had a failure celebration party for the film. The setback hurt him because it was very close to his heart. It had always been his cherished dream to make Forrest Gump in Hindi since the film came out (1994)."
Aamir has done excellent films over the years. One of the characters that stand out for me is Inspector Surjan 'Suri' Shekhawat in Talaash directed by Reema Kagti.
He underplays the stoic character of the cop, yet emotes his feeling and how it is breaking the relationship with his wife.
It is fabulous. Full credit to the writer and director.
Bhuvan in Lagaan is another character that Aamir understood, identified and played completely.
In playing Mahavir Phogat in Dangal, he depicted the wrestler both as a young and old man. (Aamir first increased his weight to nearly 100 kgs for the older man's role and then lost weight to play the younger man.)
I know he can play the character of the naughty boy, or the tough guy, but these roles were totally different.
He is open, experimental and likes to explore well-defined characters.
The script is king for Aamir. It is what comes first, followed by the director, producer and so on.
Lagaan and Taare Zameen Par are two good examples of his inclination for being experimental.
His commitment to a role can also be gauged through the hard work he put in building a muscular physique in Ghajini.
He also likes to explore odd characters like he did in PK and Laal Singh Chaddha.
In his office, there are photographs showing him in various roles played over the years and this is what sets him apart.
He is not like any regular hero. He has played a tapori in Rangeela, a mad comic in Andaz Apna Apna, a villager during the Raj in Lagaan, a revolutionary in Mangal Pandey... and has continued to do great work despite a couple of setbacks and dips.
He is also honest.
When Laal Singh Chaddha failed, he took the blame himself and did not hold anyone else responsible. In fact, he had a failure celebration party for the film.
The setback hurt him because it was very close to his heart. It had always been his cherished dream to make Forrest Gump in Hindi since the film came out (1994). He was so fond of it, had invested and had put so much into it.
QSQT, where it all began…
My father (producer-director Nasir Hussain) was writing Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak for Aamir. I was surprised when Aamir said he wanted to act because he was such a shy boy.
Daddy had seen a video film that I had made with background music and thought I had the ability to direct. I knew I could tell stories and my dad saw that and asked me to direct QSQT.
Meanwhile, I was writing Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar which was a complex film and somewhat based on my life -- about a careless and irresponsible guy.
When daddy narrated the first 11 scenes of QSQT, I loved it because I love characters.
The film was a success but I was an inadvertent filmmaker.
The only film I wanted to make was Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar which was not a commercial success.
But today it is regarded as a cult film.
'Aamir held up Jo Jeeta... when I was breaking down'
Aamir made a solid contribution to Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. He literally held it up while I was breaking down.
I reshot 45-50 days of tough shooting and removed eight key characters. Aamir was the guy, who gave me the confidence to do that and told me it was a timeless script.
He recognised it, I didn't.
I was in serious depression. I used to get up during the shoot in Ooty and cry helplessly.
When we returned to Bombay, I realised that this is not the film I wanted to make. Aamir told me we will redo, remove the actors and reshoot. This is the kind of clarity he had.
He was always a cinema buff and loved storytelling.
Aamir's reaction to Mansoor leaving films and moving to the Nilgiris
He always knew.
I was the son of a successful writer, director, producer but cinema was not my interest or ambition. I had the bhoot of engineering, computers, electronics.
I am a professional dropout.
I dropped out of IIT, Cornell, MIT...
So when I returned from America, I was full of guilt that I had wasted so much of my parents' money and wanted to prove myself.
I was not affected by the success of QSQT and was ready to live in a boat on the sea.
I always wanted to escape, so Aamir wasn't surprised.
He would have liked me to be in Mumbai and make some good films together.
I told him I couldn't make a good film any more -- that Mansoor was gone.
[Mansoor Khan returned after a hiatus to co-produce the hit film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na which was his nephew Imran Khan's debut.]
The Aamir Effect
Aamir has set the bar for professionalism, giving all his time and attention to the film he is involved in, from the inception to the end.
He is willing to take risks as long as he believes in the story.
He has a very good way of dealing with people.
He gives his all and he takes it to its end.
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