Meera's date with failure

After all the hype and
hoopla, it was bound to happen. Meera Jasmine, who could no wrong after the
brilliant success of her Tamil film Run, is slowly discovering the other side
of fame.

Her second Tamil film
Bala is reportedly an absolute dud. Little wonder, the hype machine that
worked overtime anointing Meera as the future of Tamil films have suddenly
gone silent.

In the event, Meera is
back to where she belongs -- in Malayalam. These days shooting for her mentor
Lohithadas, Meera is subdued and sober.

But Meera cannot help
feel that too much is being made out of one failure. "It is all the
making of the media," she says. It was the media that made all those
noises after Run. Now with Bala they have changed tunes. It is just as well
that Meera looks teflon-coated.

Otherwise, she would
have been totally confused about the things happening around her. Anyway, her
prime focus is Kasthuriman now. The film is prestigious on two counts. One she
can cement her place in Malayalam. For another, it is her mentor Lohitha Das'
work.

Meera made her debut
through Das' Soothradharan. Meera retains her respect for her mentor.
"It is always a great honour to work with him," she says. Meera
will play leading lady to Kunchacko Boban in Kasthuriman.

"It is a good
subject. My role is also well-etched," she says. "It has all the
right ingredients". Hopefully Kasthuriman will bring back the bounce to
Meera's steps.