MELA

What a wonderful world we would live in if there was only love, more love, just love?

The last time the young and dynamic man of ideas, Dharmesh Darshan, made Raja Hindustani, the film won millions of hearts, some major awards and brought Dharmesh into the limelight, a director who showed great promise and potential for the future. That crucial and trying time has come for Dharmesh now. His film, Mela, which has been the only attraction, the only reason for him to live and make life better film,, Mela, on which he has showered all his resources, all his talent, all the power of a good director is now ready for release. And Dharmesh has his head very much on his shoulder. He is not nervous. He is not scared. He knows he has done his best and the best always gets the best results. History, and box-office history have proved it. Says Dharmesh: "I have worked very hard on Mela and I have worked because of the subject which inspired me immensely. I went out of my way and I made my entire team go out of their way to make a film that will be remembered for long. I have always believed in taking all the risks to make the kind of films that will stay on in the minds of people. I have succeeded during my short spell as a director. It is a belief I will not give up till the last day of my career as a director. Making Mela has been a fully satisfying experience for me but I will not rest till the audience also agrees with my feelings. I have not made Mela with the intention of making money. My main motto is satisfaction for me and all those who care for and love entertainment."

Dharmesh goes on to say that Mela is an "out and out Aamir Khan film, Aamir Khan better than his best, certainly much better than some of the good films he has done his best, in recent times. A good actor needs material to feed on. I have given him the best food that was available to me. He has fed on it and the result is naturally another good film with Aamir at his best, Aamir much better than he was in my Raja Hindustani. What an absolute delight Aamir is to work with for any director. I am extremely lucky I have Aamir and his full trust in me as a director."

The major highlight of the film according to Dharmesh is the cast. It is the first time Aamir and his brother, Faisal Khan, come together. It took me a lot of my convincing power to bring the two brothers together. The first time was not so lucky for Faisal Khan. See him this time in Mela and you will forget the Faisal of Madhosh. His brother, Aamir has been a constant source of inspiration not only for his brother but for the entire team. Making a film with Aamir is no ordinary achievement. I have taken the risk and made a film with Aamir and his brother and some other fascinating artistes. I have the results. It is for the people to pass the final judgement on my entire team, my film, which is a mela of a very different kind. Twinkle Khanna is the leading lady caught between the two Khans. You have to see her in my film to see the sea change that has come over her," Dharmesh says.

Dharmesh doesn’t believe in resting on his past laurels. He is not one of those directors who love getting stereotyped. He wants to break new ground every time he makes a film. Mela according to him is a combination of "the Dharmesh Darshan and Aamir school of filmmaking which means sheer entertainment interspersed with large-doses of entertainment and enlightenment which will reach people at all levels. That’s always been our goal. That’s our goal this time too. We have succeeded. We hope to succeed again."

Dharmesh, the director has also tried his "very best to move with the changing times when it comes to technique and craftsmanship. You will see a big difference between the director of Raja Hindustani and the director of Mela. That’s what I think."

Another highlight. The producers, Venus Records and Tapes Ltd International, went out of their way to keep an entire true-to-life mela set standing at Film City for more than hundred days. It is only men with amazing passion who can do such things. The making of Mela according to some students of cinema from abroad is "as good or even better than some of the films made in Hollywood". Anu Malik’s music has already created a sensation all over. It is the kind of music that is inspired because Dharmesh goes for the best or nothing. The film has been shot on exquisite locations in Jaisalmer and Switzerland. In short, it is a film made by a team of talented men (which includes the brilliant cinematographer, Rajan Kinagi) which hopes to see that the millennium to come sees a love story that will make the world fall in love with the world, the way God always wanted it.

APJ