Mansoor Khan: Had doubts about whether Aamir Khan could become an actor- Exclusive! | Hindi Movie News

As Aamir Khan reaches the milestone age of 60 on March 14, his cousin and filmmaker Mansoor Khan offers a rare glimpse into their shared history, both personal and professional. Having directed Aamir’s breakthrough film, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Mansoor played a pivotal role in shaping his early career. In this exclusive conversation, he reminisces about Aamir’s childhood, his initial struggles as an actor, and the creative battles behind some of their most iconic films. He also reveals fascinating insights into how QSQT evolved, including the dramatic decision to retain its now-legendary tragic ending.
Aamir Khan’s journey from a shy, reserved boy to one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated actors is nothing short of remarkable, and who better to narrate this story than someone who has known him since childhood? Here’s an intimate and candid discussion with Mansoor Khan on his illustrious cousin’s cinematic legacy.
Your illustrious cousin is turning 60 this week. That is quite an event, wouldn’t you agree?
It is indeed an event. He is seven years younger than me, but we belong to the same generation. I do not spend much time with him as I live outside Mumbai. However, due to the film I am directing for his son Junaid and Sai Pallavi, I have been in touch with him more frequently. He is very busy, and our paths do not often cross, but when I visit Mumbai, we make it a point to meet. We have been very close since childhood.
What was Aamir like as a child?
He was very shy, spoke very little, and was quite reserved. As he grew up, I went abroad, and he remained here, so I was unaware of how much he had changed. However, he was always a very reserved person. I had doubts about whether he could become an actor, especially in Indian cinema, where a certain degree of expressiveness is required. Even he admits that when he watches ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ now, he cringes at his performance.
You once mentioned that Juhi Chawla was far better than Aamir in ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.’ Even he acknowledges this?
Yes, that is true. He himself admits it. But he has come a long way since then.
How did ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ come about?
Mansoor Khan: My father, Nasir Hussain, was writing a romantic film. Aamir was assisting him at the time, and Javed Akhtar suggested that Aamir should be in front of the camera rather than behind it. That led my father to view Aamir differently, and perhaps it inspired him to cast him in the lead role. He was writing ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ as a tragic love story with Aamir in mind. Meanwhile, I was writing ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar,’ also with Aamir in mind.
Were both films being developed simultaneously?
Yes, we worked in separate offices—my father and I—both writing our respective scripts. My father’s script was completed much earlier, while mine was far more complex. Additionally, I was not a regular film viewer, so I had little understanding of audience expectations.

How did you eventually take on the direction of ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’?
My father suggested I direct it. He was working with my sister and Aamir as co-writers and sounding boards, while I was completely uninvolved in the project at that stage. When I asked him about the film, he simply said it was a love story. I responded that almost every film is a love story. I was trying to break away from that mold. While ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’ contained elements of love and romance, it was primarily about a boy learning responsibility, with sports serving as the medium for his growth. However, my father insisted I listen to the script. Once he narrated it—especially the prologue, which established the enmity between the two families—I was captured by how well the characters were defined. That convinced me to direct the film.
‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ was a departure from Nasir Hussain’s usual style, which primarily focused on music and lighter romance. Would you agree?
Absolutely. He primarily focused on creating lighthearted romance. Most of his films followed a similar story structure. However, ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’ was quite different from his usual work, as was ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat.’ He initially conceived ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ as a tragic love story in the vein of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ or ‘Laila Majnu.’ He strongly established the family conflict, making a tragic ending inevitable. However, he was hesitant because he had previously changed the tragic ending of ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’ after seeing audience reactions in theaters. He later regretted altering it when he watched the film on television. After ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ succeeded, he acknowledged the importance of staying true to the story and characters. He even believed that ‘Baharon Ke Sapne’ might have been considered a classic had he retained its original tragic ending.
Did you shoot two endings for ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’—one tragic and one happy?
Yes. While I appreciated many aspects of the script, I felt certain scenes were clichéd and some moments underdeveloped. My father and I had many discussions—sometimes even arguments—over these elements. Aamir and my sister often acted as mediators. Even when we were about to begin shooting, the ending had not yet been finalized. My father left it to me to write the conclusion. When I finally sat down to write, I instinctively gravitated toward a tragic ending and was quite satisfied with it. However, I realized I could not present only this version to my father. So, I also crafted an alternate happy ending.

During the shoot, my father frequently called to ask if I had filmed the happy ending. He was apprehensive, given his past experience. He knew I was inclined toward the tragic ending. I reassured him that I would shoot the tragic ending first and then move on to the happy ending.
So, you shot the tragic ending first and then the happy one?
Yes. But when we were shooting the happy ending, something felt off. We were shooting out of sequence, and when I gave the cue for action, someone—either Dilip Tahil or Beena—would start laughing. That reaction indicated that the happy ending felt artificial and overly dramatic. It lacked the organic authenticity of the tragic ending. Ultimately, I do not think I even completed shooting the happy ending. I strongly believed in the tragic ending and felt it was the only one that did justice to the story. After seeing the rushes and editing them, I showed only the tragic version during private screenings.
Was your father still uncertain about the tragic ending?
Yes. During screenings, he sought opinions from senior members of the family, while younger viewers, including Aamir’s sisters and his friends, loved the tragic ending. The elders, however, were completely opposed to it. In the end, he relented and went with the tragic ending.
When the tragic ending proved to be a major success, was he proud of you?
He never explicitly said so. I asked him years later, but he did not respond directly. However, when he returned from the theater, he was excited about Aamir’s rising popularity. He was more focused on Aamir’s career than mine since he knew I was not keen on continuing in the film industry. His priority was Aamir’s success, and in that regard, he was very pleased.