'Twinkle Khanna wasn't capable enough,' says Suneel Darshan wasn't happy with her casting in 'Mela': 'Didn't like how she spoke about the film, no dignity'
ETimes | July 31, 2026 12:39 PM CST
Filmmaker Suneel Darshan has once again voiced his criticism of Twinkle Khanna ’s casting in 'Mela', saying he had doubts about her suitability for the role from the very beginning. He also expressed disappointment over the actor-turned-author repeatedly mocking the film in public years after its release.
Darshan claimed that 'Mela' strayed from his original vision after several changes were made to the script. He maintained that those alterations, coupled with the choice of lead actress, ultimately hurt the film.
Reflecting on the project, Suneel Darshan said in an interview with Hindi Rush, “The original story of Mela was mine. Some changes were made to it. When I watched the film shortly before its release, I felt that if those changes hadn’t been made, it would have been a superhit because the original story was a winner. I was also worried about the heroine they had cast. I didn’t think she was capable enough for the role.”
He added that Twinkle Khanna’s comments about the film over the years were especially disheartening. According to Darshan, there should be a certain level of respect while speaking about past work, even if it was unsuccessful.
He shared, “I felt very sad when Twinkle spoke about the film in the media. There was no dignity in the way she spoke. If someone starts saying things, the other person can respond ten times or even a hundred times more strongly. There are many truths in the film industry, but we also have to respect people’s dignity. Sometimes it’s better to let certain things be forgotten.”
Darshan has made similar remarks in the past. In an earlier interview with Vickey Lalwani, he described Twinkle’s casting in 'Mela' as a mistake and argued that the film required a more established leading lady.
He had said, “The original story of Mela was written by me. The title was mine. They went ahead and made the movie. They cast Twinkle Khanna in the movie, which was a miscasting. The movie needed a Karisma Kapoor, and unfortunately, she was not cast in the film. You needed a girl who could carry the movie on her shoulders. I felt that she was not right for the movie.”
He also alleged that the screenplay underwent changes after Aamir Khan came on board, saying the actor introduced a new character while the rest of the story remained his own.
Suneel Darshan said, “He added the brother’s character. Otherwise, everything else was mine. At a later point, Aamir realised that they needed some permissions and consent. He got through to me, and I had no choice but to agree.”
Twinkle Khanna, meanwhile, has never shied away from poking fun at 'Mela', often referring to its failure with humour. In 2020, she shared a photograph of a truck carrying an image of the film’s villain alongside the words “Gurjar fir aaega.”
She captioned the post: “Certain things, I suppose, are timeless! This popped up in my messages today and what can I say except Mela has certainly left a mark or a scar, whichever way you look at it, on me and the rest of the nation.”
The former actor has also joked that the film’s box office performance influenced her personal life. During an appearance on 'Koffee With Karan', she recalled making a promise to Akshay Kumar before the film’s release.
Twinkle said, “I thought 'Mela would be the game changer for me. So I told him I won’t marry him then. I also said that if 'Mela' flops, I will marry you.”
Released in 2000, 'Mela' starred Aamir Khan, Faisal Khan and Twinkle Khanna in lead roles. Directed by Dharmesh Darshan and produced by Tahir Hussain, the action drama received poor reviews and failed to perform at the box office. Despite its disappointing theatrical run, the film has since found a cult following online, with several scenes and dialogues evolving into popular internet memes.
Darshan claimed that 'Mela' strayed from his original vision after several changes were made to the script. He maintained that those alterations, coupled with the choice of lead actress, ultimately hurt the film.
Reflecting on the project, Suneel Darshan said in an interview with Hindi Rush, “The original story of Mela was mine. Some changes were made to it. When I watched the film shortly before its release, I felt that if those changes hadn’t been made, it would have been a superhit because the original story was a winner. I was also worried about the heroine they had cast. I didn’t think she was capable enough for the role.”
He added that Twinkle Khanna’s comments about the film over the years were especially disheartening. According to Darshan, there should be a certain level of respect while speaking about past work, even if it was unsuccessful.
He shared, “I felt very sad when Twinkle spoke about the film in the media. There was no dignity in the way she spoke. If someone starts saying things, the other person can respond ten times or even a hundred times more strongly. There are many truths in the film industry, but we also have to respect people’s dignity. Sometimes it’s better to let certain things be forgotten.”
Darshan has made similar remarks in the past. In an earlier interview with Vickey Lalwani, he described Twinkle’s casting in 'Mela' as a mistake and argued that the film required a more established leading lady.
He had said, “The original story of Mela was written by me. The title was mine. They went ahead and made the movie. They cast Twinkle Khanna in the movie, which was a miscasting. The movie needed a Karisma Kapoor, and unfortunately, she was not cast in the film. You needed a girl who could carry the movie on her shoulders. I felt that she was not right for the movie.”
He also alleged that the screenplay underwent changes after Aamir Khan came on board, saying the actor introduced a new character while the rest of the story remained his own.
Suneel Darshan said, “He added the brother’s character. Otherwise, everything else was mine. At a later point, Aamir realised that they needed some permissions and consent. He got through to me, and I had no choice but to agree.”
Twinkle Khanna, meanwhile, has never shied away from poking fun at 'Mela', often referring to its failure with humour. In 2020, she shared a photograph of a truck carrying an image of the film’s villain alongside the words “Gurjar fir aaega.”
She captioned the post: “Certain things, I suppose, are timeless! This popped up in my messages today and what can I say except Mela has certainly left a mark or a scar, whichever way you look at it, on me and the rest of the nation.”
The former actor has also joked that the film’s box office performance influenced her personal life. During an appearance on 'Koffee With Karan', she recalled making a promise to Akshay Kumar before the film’s release.
Twinkle said, “I thought 'Mela would be the game changer for me. So I told him I won’t marry him then. I also said that if 'Mela' flops, I will marry you.”
Released in 2000, 'Mela' starred Aamir Khan, Faisal Khan and Twinkle Khanna in lead roles. Directed by Dharmesh Darshan and produced by Tahir Hussain, the action drama received poor reviews and failed to perform at the box office. Despite its disappointing theatrical run, the film has since found a cult following online, with several scenes and dialogues evolving into popular internet memes.
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