New Delhi: Govinda carved a niche with his impeccable comic timing, signature dance style and infectious screen presence to become one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars. Throughout the 1990s, he delivered a string of commercial hits including Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Dulhe Raja, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner. His successful collaborations with filmmaker David Dhawan and co-stars Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Kader Khan remain among Hindi cinema’s most memorable.
Years after sharing screen space with the actor, Shagufta Ali has opened up about what it was like working alongside him while speaking to Siddharth Kannan. While she admitted that Govinda’s habit of arriving hours late frustrated the cast and crew, she also described him as “a bigger perfectionist than Aamir Khan”, saying he never compromised on rehearsals or performance quality.
Looking back at the fun-filled shooting moments of Hero No. 1 in Ooty, she narrated, “We were on a paid picnic. The outdoor shoot in Ooty was great. We had stayed at Mithun Da’s hotel. When he got to know about it, he came to meet us and treated us to seafood he personally cooked.”
Praising his dedication to getting every scene right, Shagufta added, “He does 25 rehearsals. Govinda is a bigger perfectionist than Aamir Khan.” She further explained that even after David Dhawan would give the green signal, “he would still insist and also apologise to others”, adding that “his eye for perfection was so strong that he didn’t care if the person opposite him was tired”.
According to Shagufta, Govinda’s punctuality often became a talking point on set. While Kader Khan would openly grumble about the delays, David Dhawan later defended the actor’s working style.
“Kader Khan would get very angry with Govinda for arriving late; others would get irritated too. We had to wait for him every day. Even though he would not show his anger openly, he would grumble about it,” she said.
Earlier this year, director David Dhawan also addressed Govinda’s reputation for arriving late during an appearance on The Great Indian Kapil Show.
“People say that he comes late to the sets, but tell me who doesn’t arrive late these days? He arrives, completes his work, and then leaves. And you will not believe it. He would show up and ask for his scene. It would be a four-page scene. He would go through it thoroughly while I was setting up the shot.”
Describing Govinda’s work ethic, David added, “He said, ‘Don’t set it up yet. Do one thing. Here’s the scene. Watch me perform. I’ll do it in one take.’ This was in Partner. He did all kinds of acrobatics in that scene; you can’t imagine. Then he told me to edit the scene however I wanted. Unbelievable. Govinda is incredible.”
Seconding their point of view, Shagufta said, “Govinda used to come late on set here too. If the shift were 9 am, he would come by 1 or 2 pm, and never before that. This was the only issue with Govinda; otherwise he was a very nice person. I have done 3-4 films with him. He is a very nice, fun-loving person.”
Reflecting on the actor’s spiritual beliefs, Shagufta narrated, “Govinda is superstitious. He was particular about timings. He believed in doing things only at an auspicious time. Once we went to Coimbatore for a film called Banarsi Babu. We stayed in a hotel where the fan wasn’t working in my room. I had complained to the production, and somehow it reached Govinda. Since he was travelling to Mumbai for three days, he offered me his room.”
She continued, “He called me up and asked me to come and see the room once. When I went to his room, I saw he had made a temple on one side. It looked so beautiful. I was very mindful not to disrespect that, which is why I refused to stay there. But he insisted and called for my bags.”
Shagufta added that she later shifted back to her own room after Govinda left.
“He used to listen to his mother a lot, respected her, and would praise her. If his mother said, ‘You will go for the shoot at this time,’ he would obey. I don’t know if there was an astrological reason behind it,” she stated.
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Sangeeta Das works as Chief Sub Editor in the lifestyle section of News9 Live. Additionally, she contributes to health and entertainment section when required. With a flair for storytelling and an eye for detail, she brings beauty, travel, and mindful living to life through her words. She has 10 years plus experience, including editing in Newsdesk, both print and online media, field reporting and taking interviews of eminent personalities like Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (former health minister) and former Union minister like Sriprakash Jaiswal. Beyond professional commitments, she loves travelling, writing poetry and fiction. Many of her creative works have been published in reputed newspapers like The Assam Tribune. She loves to keep herself fit and healthy.