Aishwarya Rai was initially to feature with Aamir Khan in Mela and Raja Hindustani.

Aishwarya was to share screen with Aamir Khan in Mela and Raja Hindustani

Aishwarya Rai was initially to feature with Aamir Khan in Mela and Raja Hindustani.
The film finally featured Twinkle Khanna as the lead actress.

Mela was among the last films that Twinkle Khanna featured before quitting Bollywood. She was paired opposite Aamir Khan in the film, which also featured Faisal Khan in a key role. As the film recently marked its 25th anniversary, director Dharmesh Darshan confirmed that Twinkle was not the first choice for the film. He originally had Aishwarya Rai in his mind.

When asked if Aishwarya Rai for the first choice for Mela, the director said, “She was. She was also his first choice for the role of Memsaab in Raja Hindustani and his heart was on her. But she urgently had to go for Miss World and he never wanted to take any chances as he wanted an actress who could devote her full time to the film and Bollywood. It was her sheer grace that she didn’t hold it in her heart.

He also addressed Aishwarya’s cameo in the film and appreciated her for doing a small role despite her star status. He said, “A heroine of her level had worked with Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan; you name it. Yet, she agreed and drove a couple of hours to shoot that scene.” He also mentioned, “I’ve met ladies who have told me, ‘Kya sir; aapne Aishwarya ko cameo diya aur Twinkle Khanna ko itna bada role de diya!’”
Mela, released on January 7, 2000, was a major box office dud. Starring Aamir Khan and Twinkle Khanna and directed by Dharmesh Darshan, known for the hit Raja Hindustani, Mela failed to connect with audiences due to its disjointed mix of action, romance and drama.

After Mela, Twinkle Khanna, who debuted in 1995, never returned to acting, partly due to the film’s poor reception. She had once mentioned on Koffee With Karan that she had told Akshay Kumar she would only marry him if the movie flopped. Since then, she has found success as an author and often jokes about her acting career being filled with forgettable roles.

News Edit KV Raman