Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s cameo or Twinkle Khanna’s lead in the movie Mela, which was directed by Dharmesh Darshan and released in 2000, has always been a talking point.
And, with Mela completing its 25 years, Dharmesh Darshan shared that it was Aishwarya who was his first choice for the heroine, but she could not do it because of her Miss World pageant commitments.
This means that Khanna was cast into the lead actor role, while over the years, fans continued to criticize their decision, having felt that Aishwarya deserved more than a cameo in the film.
Many viewers have expressed their disappointment by saying, “Kya sir; aapne Aishwarya ko cameo diya aur Twinkle Khanna ko itna bada role de diya!”
This points to a lopsided treatment since Aishwarya has the stardom and was seen earlier in big banners with big stars. The critics point out that a star like her should not be reduced to such a small role.
Released on 7 January 2000, Mela featured Aamir Khan, Twinkle Khanna, and Faisal Khan. The film did not do well at the box office, earning about ₹25 crore against a budget of around ₹18 crore. It was declared a flop, especially in the metros, though it did okay in smaller cities.
Mela was often unfavourably compared to the classic Sholay of 1975 for lacking originality and depth. While some fans appreciated its masala elements, the overall consensus remains that Mela aimed to be grand but failed.
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