Writer/Director: Mansoor Khan
Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Sharad Kapoor
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as beloved as Shah Rukh Khan. Ever since his toward recognition in the 1990’s, Khan has become one of the greatest actors in the Indian film industry. Whether it is star-crossed lovers, gangsters or doomed superheroes, Khan has proven he can portray many characters. Arguably, Khan’s finest strength as an actor has always been his charisma. He has often been of those rare actors with the abilities to use his charisma to attract audiences to the theatres. Through his abilities to play characters which prove to be compelling, Khan has created a legacy that’s lasting. Known as the Badshah of Bollywood, Khan has stood the test of time as a great icon in Indian Cinema. Despite reaching the ages of retirement, Khan hasn’t lost his passions for making engaging entertainment. An icon in India, Khan has become a bold actor whose movies commonly attract audiences to the Cinema. Throughout his long-lasting career, Khan has appeared in several unforgettable movies which are definitely without a doubt worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies he has made in his career. However, “Josh” definitely stands out as his most overlooked film. Released in 2000, Mansoor Khan’s film offered a beautiful portrait of gang rivalries. Packed with breathtaking production, bold storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s a breathtaking Bollywood gang drama. At the centre of it all is an incredible performance by Shah Rukh Khan, who embodies a bold leader of a notorious Indian gang. Although “Josh” is a captivating Bollywood drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing testing one’s patience. Nevertheless, it offers engaging entertainment for fans of Shah Rukh Khan.
“Josh” tells the story of two gangs engaging in a tense rivalry. Shah Rukh Khan portrays Max Dias, a commanding leader of a gang in India. Max has always shared a conflicted relationship with the Scorpions gang that is spearheaded by a rival. However, Max’s life forever changes when he falls in love with the sister of a rivalrous gang leader. Shirley (Aishwarya Rai) is a beautiful woman that happens to be the sister of a rivalrous gang leader Max hates. Faced with a frightening dilemma, Max questions whether it is truly possible for him to spearhead a successful gang in India.
Mansoor Khan has always been fascinated with themes of rivalry. An excellent Indian filmmaker, Khan has often made engaging movies about rivals that face disaster. His iconic movie “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak” offered a powerful portrait of rival families that are torn apart by tragedy. With “Josh”, however, Khan made his first action drama. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempts to capture the lives of gangs engaging in grim rivalries but he succeeded. Using stunning cinematography, Khan captures a leader of a gang engaging in rivalry. Evoking Robert Wise’s “West Side Story”, Khan successfully uses montages to capture intense rivalries of gangs. For instance, montages enhance the gang rivals scene. During this engaging scene, Max engages in a tense rivalry with gangs that cause adversity. Using stunning montages, Khan creates a portrait of gangs that’s engaging. Montages are complicated to use in films. As Farah Khan’s “Main Hoon Na” suggested, montages enhance Indian movies about college. Nevertheless, it works well in this movie. Using engaging visuals, Khan captures the tension that rival gangs are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Josh” which merits appreciation is the production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best Bollywood movies which you will ever watch. Inspired with Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather”, Khan effectively uses costumes to capture rivalrous gangs facing disaster. Throughout the film, Max’s costumes show his transformation into a gangs leader. For instance, costumes elevate the truth scene. During this heartfelt scene, Max uncovers a shocking secret about his lovers’ gangster identity. Using captivating costumes, Khan creates a portrait of gangs that’s engaging. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. It gives the film tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that gangs bear. Through stunning production, Khan captures gangs facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Josh” is a Bollywood film that’s engaging. The film is beautifully written, and expertly uses silence to capture individuals affected by gang violence. Evoking Martin Scorsese’s “Gangs of New York”, Khan effectively uses silence to capture gangsters impacted with violence. For instance, the silence elevates the gang aftermath scene. During this tense scene, Max faces a state of stunned silence after witnessing gruesome gangs violence. Through stunning silence, Khan creates a portrait of gangs that audiences can relate to. Silence is a complex technique to use in films. As Karan Johar’s “My Name is Khan” suggested, silence enhances movies about terrorism. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, Khan captures gangs facing a painful price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Shah Rukh Khan delivers one of his finest performances as Max. Khan first achieved appreciation for playing romantic heroes in celebrated Bollywood movies. With “Josh”, however, Khan took on his most villainous role. It isn’t simple to portray a frightening leader of a gang experiencing rivalry, but he succeeds immensely. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: engaging, intense and riveting in his most underrated role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, grief and resentments of a gang leader that faces tension. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most beloved actors in Bollywood today.
While the movie is mainly a bold showcase for Shah Rukh Khan, the supporting cast is also amazing. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is brilliant, capturing the tension experienced by a woman that falls in love with a gangs leader causing destruction. Sharad Kapoor is spectacular, bringing authority to a rival gang leader which faces intense pressures. Lastly, Sharat Saxena merits appreciation. As a police inspector, he is unforgettable.
Although “Josh” is an engaging Bollywood drama, it isn’t a flawless film. If there’s a minor shortcoming to the movie, it lacks strong pacing. Khan’s choice to integrate subplots about politics into the movie is admirable but hinders the pacing. Due to this faulty technique, scenes capturing politics of gangs aren’t as engaging as Max’s journey. Therefore, “Josh” cannot quite capture struggles of gangs which audiences adore.
Nevertheless, fans of Shah Rukh Khan will definitely enjoy “Josh” and so will movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. A riveting Bollywood gangs drama, it honours an act with charisma in India.
Nearly 30 years following the release of a groundbreaking film about gangs which engage in violence, it’s a strong reminder of an actor with a powerful presence that has created memorable movies throughout his career earning a big audience.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 