Fardeen-Mahima's long distance love!

Sharmila Taliculam

At one time, he was one of the most successful filmmakers in the Hindi film industry.

What with the super success of his films like Tirangaa and Krantiveer.

He was also the director partly responsible for casting Nana Patekar in the image of the patriot.

Then came Mrityudaata and Kohraam. Both bombed at the BO.

And Mehul Kumar was forced into taking a break.

The camera beckoned. He was human enough to succumb. And he's back.

With a difference, though.

His new project is a love story. This one is titled Kitne Door Kitne Paas, starring Fardeen Khan and Mahima Chaudhary.

Why would a strident patriot opt for a love story?

"Well, times have changed. Patriotic films don't work anymore. Love stories do. I've directed many love stories in Gujarati. I thought, why not in Hindi, too?" he explains.

Few know that Mehul Kumar started out as a journalist in a Gujarati daily. He then directed many Gujarati films, gradually spreading his wings into Hindi film direction.

Kumar hastens to reassure us that this film will not be a remake of any of his Gujarati love stories. But he is headed the Subhash Ghai and Yash Chopra NRI-boy-falls-in-love-with-Indian-girl path.

"True, there are lots of these films being made. But finally, it's the treatment that matters. I am sure my film will be different."

Choosing the actors was easy enough. "I chose Fardeen Khan because of his American-Indian looks. In person, too, he suits the role. He has been educated in America, but born in India. I like his youthful romantic He suits my character perfectly.

"Mahima, well, is very Indian. Since this is a story about an American boy and an Indian girl, Mahima was the obvious choice."

Unlike his earlier multistarrers, Mehul Kumar will concentrate only around two characters. "For my previous action films, I needed very strong characters. So I had chosen Nana Patekar and Amitabh Bachchan. That wasn't required for Kitne Door Kitne Paas."

The film is slated for an August release. Hopefully, this film could do to Kumar what his last two films couldn't.