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'Josh is a youth-oriented film'

Director Mansoor Khan's 10-odd years in the industry are studded with some great films -- he debuted with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, other credits include Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander and Akele Hum Akele Tum. Yet, he prefers to keep a low profile.

We met him on the sets of his latest film, Josh, where he is directing two of Bollywood's hottest stars, Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan. And they are actually playing brother and sister in his film. It is an unusual pairing, one that has piqued great curiosity and raised questions that Mansoor does not really want to field. And yet he takes time off to answer this and other questions, in his usual soft-spoken manner.

How come Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan play siblings in Josh?

Everybody keeps asking me that question. The reason I cast them as brother and sister is that the character that I had in mind for the male lead suited Shah Rukh's personality perfectly and the same was the case with Aishwarya as far as the female lead was concerned. Whether they are the leading stars in the industry today and whether they have never been paired with each other earlier doesn't bother me at all.

So who is opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the film… and what about Aishwarya Rai?

Priya Gill is opposite Shah Rukh and Chandrachur Singh opposite Aishwarya.

Is it true that Josh is a copy of West Side Story?

I wish it really was. But it is only the basic set-up that's like West Side Story. A brother and sister, two gangs and all that, but that's where the similarity ends. Josh is a youth-oriented film. It is about two teenage gangs.

I don't pre-decide the story of any of my films. If I come across any story and instinctively feel for it, then I go ahead and do it. I am not concerned about the success or failure of my film at the box office.

Why has this film been so long in the making?

Yeah. The film has really been in the making for almost one-and-a-half years now. Actually, the casting took me some time. I was initially considering Salman Khan for the role, but things didn't work out and I signed on Shah Rukh. Hopefully, though, Josh should release by April or May.

What are your expectations from the film?

My only yardstick is that my film should do full justice to itself. I am not very market-savvy and I don't know much about marketing a film. Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander wasn't a super success. It did well only with a cross section of society. But that doesn't bother me at all. I make films only for myself.

Mansoor Khan spoke to Kanchana Suggu.