Mansoor Khan Reveals Aamir Khan’s Demand to Drop Milind Soman from Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar

Mansoor Khan, the filmmaker and brother of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, directed the successful Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and later directed the super star once again, in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. In a recent interview with SCREEN, Mansoor Khan talked about having a difficult time with the original cast and how Aamir saved the film.

Also Read: Donald Trump Slams Iran‑Israel Ceasefire Breach: "Don’t Know What the F**k They’re Doing"

Mansoor owned up to Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar was about to fall apart primarily from very flawed casting decisions. He confessed that about 60–70% of the film had to be reshot since he had previously rejected the right actors and cast the wrong actors. Mansoor explained that even after shooting for 40-45 days in Ooty and Coonoor along with a few songs in Mumbai, he recognised that the film wasn't going anywhere.

He added, “I won’t take names, but those people were absolutely unprofessional. They made life miserable, not just for me, but for the entire crew. The film was turning out really badly, and it also nearly stalled. I felt like giving up. But the film’s story is about getting up and winning. So in a way, life was mirroring art. We stayed quiet. We threw those guys out. They went to the press, said all kinds of nasty things about me and Aamir. But we didn’t respond. Our focus was clear—we had a film to make, and a good one. And in the end, the result is in front of you.”

Also Read: SCO Meet in China: NSA Doval Urges Members to Shun ‘Double Standards’ on Terrorism

Mansoor Khan mentioned he had become depressed and revealed Aamir had pulled him out of it. "Aamir said, ‘Throw these guys out. We’ll make a good film.’ I was in a really dark place then, depressed, on the verge of a breakdown. I used to wake up in the middle of the night crying during the shoot. Some of those same people came back to me later, including Milind Soman. They didn’t understand filmmaking. They didn’t understand humility, or the director’s role, or that the film is bigger than any individual—bigger than the actor, the director, or the producer. They came in with strange ideas. But again, the mistake was mine. I shouldn’t have cast them.” It all turned for the better when Milind exited and Deepak Tijori entered.

The 1992 coming-of-age sports drama starred Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka, Deepak Tijori, Mamik Singh, Pooja Bedi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. The story's character Sanjay is a laid-back adolescent who rises to the occasion despite steep odds and wins an honourable inter-school cycling event and a sense of pride for his family. Its catchy soundtrack by Jatin–Lalit and themes of aspiration, competition, and redemption make it a timeless cult classic in Indian cinema.

Also Read: “DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS”: Trump’s Stern All‑Caps Warning to Israel Over Iran Ceasefire