Josh (transl. Zeal; Hindi pronunciation: [dʒoːʃ]) is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language romantic action film directed by Mansoor Khan, produced by Venus Films and distributed by B4U Films. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Chandrachur Singh, Sharad Kapoor, and Priya Gill. The film, primarily in Hindi with occasional Konkani, was set and filmed in Goa.[3][4] With some plot points inspired by the 1961 musical West Side Story,[5] the film is set in the year 1980, amidst the backdrop of real estate deals and communal violence in Goa.[6]

Josh
Directed byMansoor Khan
Screenplay byMansoor Khan
Neeraj Vora
Dialogues by
  • Neeraj Vora
    Aatish Kapadia
    Nidhi Tuli
Story byMansoor Khan
Based onWest Side Story
Produced byGanesh Jain
Ratan Jain
Champak Jain
StarringShah Rukh Khan
Priya Gill
Chandrachur Singh
Aishwarya Rai
Sharad Kapoor
CinematographyK. V. Anand
Music bySongs:
Anu Malik
Background Score:
Anjan Biswas
Production
company
Distributed byB4U Films
Release date
  • 9 June 2000 (2000-06-09)
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget16 crore[1]
Box office35.06 crore[2]

Josh was released on 9 June 2000, and emerged as a commercial success at the box office, grossing 35.06 crore (US$4.2 million) worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics with praise for its music, cinematography, action sequences and cast performances, but criticism for its script.

At the 46th Filmfare Awards, Josh received 5 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director.

Plot

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Two rival street gangs - Eagles, who are local residents, and Bichhoos (Scorpions), who are immigrants, reside in the town of Vasco, Goa. The Bichhoos are led by Prakash Sharma, while Eagles are led by Max Dias.

Prakash, a delinquent, uses his gang to engage in underhanded activities within the Vasco real estate market. Max and his twin sister Shirley are orphans belonging to a local motorcycle crew together with the other members of the Eagles. The gangs are sworn enemies and have demarcated the town in order to avoid altercations. They are usually stopped from fighting by Fr. Jacob or the town Inspector.

Rahul, Prakash's brother and a well-educated masterchef working in Mumbai, arrives to visit Vasco after two years, intending to take his family back to Mumbai with him. Rahul decides to tour Vasco and rediscovers his love for the city. While in the territory of the Eagles Gang, Rahul spots Shirley and eventually falls in love with her, deciding to settle in Vasco and open a pastry shop. Rahul unknowingly becomes part of the Eagle - Bichchoo rivalry and gets closer to Shirley, but Max and the Eagles, not approving of Rahul having moved in, destroy the shop and put Rahul in severe debt to the landlord.

Prakash, in desperate need of money, plans to take over the village ground. The ground historically belonged to Alberto Vasco, the landlord of the entire village and the man after whom the town is named. Rahul finds out that the ground was passed from Alberto to a woman named Mary Anne Louise. Unaware of Prakash's schemes, Rahul visits the address listed for Mr. Vasco and it is revealed that Mary was a renter in the Rose villa at 13, Churchill Road, which belonged to Lady D'Costa twenty two years ago. Rahul learns from Mrs. D'costa that Mary is Max and Shirley's mother and the twins are the illegitimate children of Alberto Vasco, born in 1958.

Rahul plans to reveal this information to Shirley in the form of a letter, but it falls into the hands of Prakash. Prakash plots to get Rahul married to Shirley and also kill Max in order to receive Alberto Vasco's valuable land worth 20 lakhs. When Prakash tries to kill Max, a bloody fight breaks out and Max accidentally shoots Prakash, while defending himself. Max is arrested and his trial puts a rift between Shirley and Rahul as he believes Prakash went to Max just to ask Shirley for him and Max killed him without reason. Before Max receives his verdict, Rahul learns the truth and defends Max in court and also acknowledges Prakash's real intentions, by providing documents which proved the land, Prakash tried to obtain, were Max and Shirley's legacy as Alberto Vasco, their real father who distanced himself from his children, put it in their mother's name. Upon hearing this, the judge concludes Max's action as an act of self-defense. Max is released and asks Rahul for forgiveness and his hand in marriage with Shirley, thereby uniting the Eagles and Bichhoos with each other.

Cast

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Production

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Director Mansoor Khan made a comeback to filmmaking with Josh after a hiatus of five years. Director Mansoor Khan had initially approached Salman Khan for the role of Max Dias, but Khan declined the film as at the time he was dating Rai and was uncomfortable playing her brother, therefore he signed Shah Rukh Khan.[7] Mansoor was keen on bringing Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan together for Josh, approaching him for the role of Rahul Sharma, eventually played by Sharad Kapoor but the latter rejected the film as he found the role given to him too small.[8]

To enhance his on-screen resemblance to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan donned blue contacts for the film. The production journey of "Josh" spanned four years, unveiling a meticulous creative process.[9]

Music

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Josh
Soundtrack album by
Released15 April 2000
Recorded1998–1999
GenreFeature film soundtrack
LabelVenus Records & Tapes

A. R. Rahman was signed in as the music composer at first, but opted out due to scheduling conflicts with other films.[10] After Rahman opted out, Mansoor Khan roped in Anu Malik to complete the music quickly and release the film on time. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India.[11] The song "Hai Mera Dil" is based on "Sealed with a Kiss" written by Peter Udell and Gary Geld, and "Djobi Djoba" performed by Gipsy Kings.[12] In a notable debut, Shah Rukh Khan showcased his vocal talent by singing the song 'Apun Bola.'

# Title Singer(s) Length Lyricist(s)
1 "Apun Bola" Hema Sardesai and Shahrukh Khan 04:25 Nitin Raikwar
2 "Hai Mera Dil" Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik 04:08 Sameer Anjaan
3 "Hum To Dil Se Haare" Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik 05:06 Sameer Anjaan
4 "Mere Khayalon Ki Malika" Abhijeet Bhattacharya 04:50 Sameer Anjaan
5 "Zinda Hain Hum To" Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Jolly Mukherjee and Hema Sardesai 04:44 Nitin Raikwar
6 "Sailaru Sailare" Mano and Suresh Peters 05:25 Sameer Anjaan
7 "Hai Mera Dil" (Instrumental) 04:08
8 "Hum To Dil Se Haare" (Instrumental) 05:07

Reception

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Box office

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Josh grossed 30.05 crore (US$3.6 million) in India and $1.127 million (5.01 crore) in other countries, for a worldwide total of 35.06 crore (US$4.2 million), against its 16 crore (US$1.9 million) budget. It had a worldwide opening weekend of 8.82 crore (US$1.1 million), and grossed 15.81 crore (US$1.9 million) in its first week.[2] It is the 6th-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2000 worldwide.[13]

In India, the film opened on Friday, 9 June 2000, across 300 screens, and earned 1.25 crore (US$150,000) nett on its opening day. It grossed 3.71 crore (US$440,000) nett in its opening weekend, and had a first week of 7.25 crore (US$870,000) nett. The film earned a total of 17.83 crore (US$2.1 million) nett, and was declared "Average" by Box Office India.[2] It is the 5th-highest-grossing film of 2000 in India.[14]

Among overseas territories, Josh had an opening weekend of $575,000 (2.55 crore) and went on to gross $800,000 (3.56 crore) in its first week. The film earned a total of $1.127 million (5.01 crore) at the end of its theatrical run.[2] Overseas, It is the 9th-highest-grossing film of 2000.[15]

Collections Breakdown
Territory Territory Wise Collections Break-up
India Nett Gross:
17.83 crore (US$2.1 million)
Distributor Share:
9.98 crore (US$1.2 million)
Total Gross:
30.05 crore (US$3.6 million)
International
(Outside India)
$1.127 million (5.01 crore)
Worldwide 35.06 crore (US$4.2 million)

Critical reception

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The film received mixed reviews from critics. Planet Bollywood gave the film 7.5/10 and wrote, "Mansoor [Khan] succeeds as a director in keeping the movie fast and interesting, though it is the characters who come out much stronger than the film".[16] Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama noted "On the whole, Josh is a well-made film with great performances and a hit musical score. But the Goan ambience will restrict its prospects in some states due to lack of identification. Also an average second half and a weak climax are major limitations".[17]

Awards

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46th Filmfare Awards:

Nominated

2nd IIFA Awards:

Won

Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Josh Budget". Box Office India. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Josh Box office". Box Office India. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Josh". Sify. Archived from the original on 3 July 2018.
  4. ^ Aysha Iqbal Viswamohan, Vimal Mohan John. Behind the Scenes: Contemporary Bollywood Directors and Their Cinema. SAGE Publications India, 2017
  5. ^ "SRK- Aish's 'Josh' clocks 16 yrs today". 9 June 2016. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2020 – via Business Standard.
  6. ^ "The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum - Article". www.tribuneindia.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Rediff On The NeT, Movies: Mansoor Ali on brother Shah Rukh, sister Aishwarya". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Aamir wanted to play Shah Rukhs role in Josh: Mansoor Khan". India Today. 23 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  9. ^ "2 decades of Josh: A nostalgic look back at the movie that made Goa cool, much before Dil Chahta Hai; Lesser-known facts & memorabilia". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  10. ^ "The Complete Biography of A.R.Rahman - The A.R.Rahman Page". gopalhome.tripod.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  12. ^ Srinivasan, Karthik (27 November 2018). "Anu Malik's Unusual Mix Of A 1960s And A 1980s Song For Mansoor Khan's Josh". Film Companion. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Top Worldwide Grossers 2000". Box Office India. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  14. ^ "Top India Total Nett Gross 2000". Box Office India. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  15. ^ "Top Overseas Gross 2000". Box Office India. 22 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  16. ^ "Film Reviews". PlanetBollywood. 9 June 2000. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  17. ^ "Movie Reviews". Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2000. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012.
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