On January 7, Mela, released in the year 2000, completed 25 years. Twinkle Khanna, Aamir Khan and Faizal Khan were in lead roles in the film. However, very few people know that this film was offered to Aishwarya Rai before Twinkle. Apart from this, she was going to make her Bollywood debut with Dharmesh Darshan's film Raja Hindustani. Now the film's director Dharmesh Darshan has given the reason for casting Twinkle instead of Aishwarya.
Recently, in an interview given to Bollywood Hungama, director Dharmesh Darshan was asked whether Aishwarya Rai was really the first choice for Mela. On this he said, Yes, she was also my first choice to play the role of Mem Saheb in the film Raja Hindustani (1996). My heart wanted to take them. But at that time she had to go to Argentina for Miss World. I didn't want to take any chances. I wanted an actress who would give full time to films and Bollywood.
It is his blessing that he did not take this to heart. This is the reason why she agreed to do a cameo for me in the film fair. She was paired with Faizal and not Aamir. A heroine of her level had worked with Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, yet she agreed to do the cameo and she drove for several hours to come for that scene.
During the conversation, Dharmesh Darshan also told that many women questioned him many times for taking Twinkle in the fair instead of Aishwarya. He said, I met many women who asked me, Sir, you gave a cameo to Aishwarya and gave such a big role to Twinkle Khanna.
Let us tell you that years ago, in an interview given to Vogue magazine, Aishwarya Rai had told that she had received offers from 4 big films even before becoming Miss World, although she had rejected all the 4 films for the pageant.
Aishwarya has told that after rejecting the film Raja Hindustani, she had reached the premiere of the film on the request of Aamir Khan. It was here that Sanjay Leela Bhansali noticed him and he got the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
Graphics Source: NavJivanIndia | VaskarAssets
