JOIN USFrom directing a film to co-producing one and now penning a book, the multi-faceted director Mansoor Khan aims to open the eyes of the readers to the economic reality through his book ‘The Third Curve’.
The director of popular films like Qayamat se Qayamat Tak, Jo Jeeta
Wohi Sikander, Akele Hum Akele Tum and Josh was on a short visit to the City to launch his book at the Landmark store. The author says that it was quite a long wait for him before he could launch the book and that gave him time to delve deeper into the subject.
“I couldn’t write the book before 2010 as people wouldn’t have believed me. Now that they are feeling the pinch of low growth rates, they will be able to connect with the book.
Everybody today is clamouring for growth, everyone’s wondering what happened to it and if all the countries have become foolish and if all the governments have gone bust,” he says. Ask him if he wishes to direct or co-produce films in the future and he explains that he is engrossed with the book but does not rule out the possibility of making one.
“I always do something which stirs me, even if it is my films. I try and find a script which appears authentic to me. I don’t want to make a film which is a blockbuster. The reason I wrote this book was because I thought I would do a good job. I am not writing the book to get recognised as a good author, I don’t want to make money. I feel excited and feel that I am suited for it. Writing the book gave me the sense of purpose. A film is a very different medium — it is primarily for the purposes of entertainment, instruction, titillation and propaganda. Films can do other things but they cannot shift paradigms,” he says, adding that he never wanted to make films for mere entertainment.
“For me, it has always been driven by what I want to say. I am not interested in doing something for the sake of entertainment. But that does not mean I don’t want
hundred crores. As far as potboilers are concerned, I feel that they are well crafted and extremely entertaining. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Chennai Express. I will only make a film when I wish to make one and don’t want to get in the league of
making bad films. Right now, I am in the process of writing two books and want to concentrate on that.” The director-cum-author feels stifled by the hustle and bustle of the City and loves staying in his farmhouse in the Nilgiris. “I have never been a city person, I have always liked staying in the hills as that gives me the time and space to think. I don’t watch too many movies as I am more into reading,” he sums up.