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Twenty years ago he made a splash as the country’s new heartthrob with his debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Today superstar Aamir Khan is introducing a new face in the industry – his nephew Imran Khan who makes his debut this Friday with Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa. This is a launch that will be watched and judged closely like just like Aamir judged two decades ago. CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand in conversation with the two Khans.

Rajeev Masand: As someone who has seen Imran grow up in front of your eyes, what sort of a child was he – mischievous, quiet or all into one?

Aamir Khan: He was a very gentle kid. Very nice and easy to bully. Most of the time I would be like ‘Imran paani lao’ or ‘there is a book lying there, get it for me’.

Rajeev Masand: You also apparently used him to get introduced to a couple of girls.

Aamir Khan: Yes, all the time. In fact I was about 20 or 21 when he was three or four. So I would take him around for walks in Pali Hill and the all the girls would come to see him and talk to me. In fact I still do that.

Rajeev Masand: Did you expect him to come and say that he wants to be an actor? Or did you expect to see him as an actor someday?

Aamir Khan: No I didn’t, actually. I never thought he would act in Indian films because he didn’t know Hindi. He hardly ever spoke the language and even when he did, he had a very strong accent. So when he did come and say that he wanted to act, my reaction was ‘in Hindi?’ But then he of course worked on his language and got around it.

Rajeev Masand: Not many people know that this is not the first time that Imran is facing the camera. He played little Aamir in both Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar. Imran you have any memories from those shoots?

Imran Khan: Yes, I do from Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar. I remember having a lot of fun. I do remember that Aamir used to do my makeup.

Aamir Khan: He was a good kid on the sets. He would even take his pants down when instructed (laughs out loud).

Imran Khan: You know they didn’t tell me about that before the shoot. It was a complete surprise for me. Mansoor said you know how to ride a cycle and I said yes. Then he asked you know how to do it standing and I said, of course. So I stand and start cycling and suddenly I feel cold air on my rear.

Rajeev Masand: We have a little game for you. We will ask Aamir five questions about Imran and vice versa. So that we can find out how well you both know each other. Of course the game is called Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa.

Questions for Imran:

Question 1: Name two films in which Aamir played himself.

Imran Khan: Damini and…I can’t remember the other one.

Aamir Khan: It was in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s first film called Pehla Nasha. There was a scene in which there was Shah Rukh, Saif, me and another actor.

Question 2: Name the actress Aamir has done maximum films with. How many and also name the film.

Imran Khan: It’s got to be Juhi Chawla. And the films are Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Love Love Love, Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke, Ishq, Tum Mere Ho…there are couple of your films that I haven’t seen like Aatanq Hi Aatanq…

Aamir Khan: There were two more, Aatanq Hi Aatanq and Daulat Ki Jung.

Question 3: Name the director apart from Mansoor Khan that Aamir has done maximum films with.

Imran Khan: Indra Kumar and the films were Dil, Ishq and Mann.

Question 4: How many runs did Aamir’s character Bhuvan make in Lagaan?

Imran Khan: (After a long silence) It was over a 100, I remember that. I think it was 125.

Aamir Khan: It was 144 not out.

Question 5: In QSQT, Raj, Aamir’s character, crashes a party to see Rashmi (Juhi) pretending to be someone else. Who does he pretend to be?

Imran Khan: Roop Singh.

Imran’s score: 2.5 out of 5

Questions for Aamir:

Question 1: How many schools has Imran attended in all? And name them too.

Aamir Khan: He has flunked so many times that it is difficult to remember now. Toddlers Academy, I used to go and pick him up so I know this one. Then Bombay Scottish, Valley School, Gede…then he gave his 10 standard…hey weren’t you in a Coonoor school as well? Okay, I guess that is the best I could do.

Imran Khan: He missed two – Holy Innocence in Wellington and Blue Mountain.

Aamir Khan: I at least remembered four out of six…and all the weirdest of schools. Has anyone heard of Gede?

Imran Khan: There is one more actually in the US.

Aamir Khan: Ye loh! Khudh hi bhool gaya (There! He has forgotten himself).

Question 2: Who is Imran’s favourite contemporary actress?

Aamir Khan: You know I am doing this role in Gajini where I have a short term memory loss problem….(laughs) So I think am getting a bit too much into the character. I wouldn’t know…let me take a guess, Juhi?

Imran Khan: But she isn't working any more.

Aamir Khan: Okay! Now I want to hear him say that Juhi is not his favourite (laughs).

Imran Khan: Kareena.

Question 3: What gift did you give Imran on his 12th birthday?

Imran Khan: Here's a hint – it was something that you had and I wanted.

Aamir Khan: My Swiss pen knife.

Question 4: Imran made a graduation film at the New York Film Academy. Name the film.

Aamir Khan: It had something to do with Dracula... I don't know, I have no idea. Or maybe Malegaon Ke Superman (laughs).

Imran Khan: It is called The Landlady.

Question 5: Imran has precisely one tattoo on his body. Where and what is it?

Aamir Khan: It is on the back of his neck and it is a circular thing with stuff coming out of it.

Rajeev Masand: Imran, tell us a little about your first day of shooting Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa.

Imran Khan: Of course I do. But the first scene that I shot was finally cut from the film.

Rajeev Masand: Aamir, did you have any tips or words of advise as an actor for him before he set out for his first day?

Aamir Khan: Ya, I told him watch out for your twitching left eyebrow. No, I didn't really give him any advise. I thought he should figure out for himself what and how he should do. And that is how it should be.

Audience question: Who according to you is the best actor in the industry?

Imran Khan: Hrithik Roshan.

Audience question: Do you see a lot of yourself in Imran?

Aamir Khan: Yes, he is as tall as I am (laughs).

The show was wrapped up with Imran singing Kabhi Kabhi Aditi from the film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa.

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Cast: Imran Khan, Genelia D’souza, Ratna Pathak Shah

Director: Abbas Tyrewala

Even before I'm ready to share my views with you on Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I have A question to ask: Is it unfair to go into a film with a certain level of expectation, especially when the film's been made by someone whose work you have always admired? If it is indeed unfair, then forgive me Abbas, for I have sinned.

But if I'm allowed to expect clever writing, an original screenplay, fleshed-out characters and a fresh plot from the writer of such gems as Maqbool, Munnabhai MBBS and Main Hoon Na, then perhaps you will understand why Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was a letdown for me.

Don't get me wrong; I wasn't expecting another Maqbool or a Munnabhai from Jaane Tu. It promised to be a light-hearted romance and that's exactly what I went in to see. But a light-hearted romance from Abbas Tyrewala — the original, imaginative, inspired writer of those afore-mentioned films.

Tired of everyone misunderstanding their strictly platonic friendship for love, 20-year-olds Jai and Aditi (that's Imran Khan and Genelia D'souza) decide they must find each other suitable romantic partners who aren't threatened by the closeness the two of them share. Little do they realise however, that what they feel for each other is indeed love — it's a reality that dawns upon them later when they're with other partners.

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na plays out as a predictable Bollywood love story, sticking faithfully to old formulas, even culminating in that now obligatory airport climax. As far as the film's plot is concerned, there's very little that's original. Jaane Tu is not your traditional plot-driven film.

It is, in fact, a film propelled by its characters and their motivations, much like Dil Chahta Hai in a sense, but without the emotional depth of that film.

The characters in Jaane Tu are all cool, light and easy. So cool in fact, that they sometimes come off looking silly. Am I really being unreasonable if I can't understand why Abbas would give us such stereotypes as the gujju in the group — Jignes(h), or the fat sulky one who can't stop whining? Is it really my fault if I'm surprised a writer of Abbas' calibre wrote that ridiculous opening scene in which a group of 20-year-olds sit around in white and deliver sentimental soliloquies for their friend's dead cat? Is it really my fault if I expected a fresh take on love, if I was hoping Jai and Aditi would realise their love for each other, but not because they realized their previous partners were such idiots? Did it have to be so simplistic; did it have to be so clichéd? Indeed it's the silliness in the writing that is my biggest grouse against this film.

Silliness aside, at its heart, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is a refreshing film. Refreshing because of its spectacular performances. Refreshing because of A R Rahman's outstanding soundtrack. Refreshing because the film's actors look like they actually enjoyed making this film. And refreshing because sitting there watching the film, you can't help feeling very old.

For every Jayant Kriplani, Anooradha Patel, Rajat Kapur and Kitu Gidwani that Abbas has wasted in this film as mere caricatures, he's given us the spirited and feisty Ratna Pathak-Shah, the brooding and brilliant Prateik Babbar, the luminous Manjari Phadnis, and then those three cameos.

The dead parent in the photo-frame may be an old plot-device (as old as Hum Paanch on TV), but it's a stroke of genius on Abbas' part how he ties it up so smartly in this film. Also the horsemen — at first such a harebrained and pointless idea, but so cleverly incorporated in the narrative.

So there, that's the Abbas I was looking for from the start of the film, but truth is, these masterstrokes are few and far between. The film battles between cutesy and clever. And cutesy wins over clever.

The only good thing that comes out of that is the electrifying chemistry we get between Imran and Genelia who literally bounce off each other and keep you spellbound when they're on screen, even in the film's dullest scenes.

Genelia is what I'd call a pathaka — she's spontaneous and sparkling. And Imran is the best young actor we've seen on screen for months. He's unconventional and vulnerable and he knows how to use both to make a lasting impression.

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na is not one of my favourite films this year, far from it. But it's a respectable first film for any director. Even if one expects more from this one. It is, then, at best an above-average film, but since you won't find any half-stars from me, I'm going to go with an average rating — that's two out of five for Abbas Tyrewala's Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.

But make sure you watch it. Watch it for some sparkling dialogue, some fantastic music, but most of all, watch it for Imran and Genelia who conceal the film's many flaws.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)

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