Govinda entered the film industry with Love '86 and was immediately slotted as the new dancing sensation. He remained so till 1995 when he changed his image from dancer to comedian. His squeaky-clean earnestness has been in vogue ever since. Though he embodied the youth movement in his films of the Eighties, Govinda's recent films portray his as the hero of the masses. This led to the belief that Govinda was a filmstar for the masses. But he managed to prove this wrong too.
Govinda wanders down memory lane in an interview with The Asian Age speaking about the ten years he has spent in the industry.
Q: What has your decade in the film industry been
like?
A: I am grateful to the industry for its tremendous cooperation,
love and faith in me. There wee bad phases in my career of
course, but I prefer to view them as stepping stones to
success.(laughs)
Q: You walked out of six films recently. Why did
you do that?
A: There was nothing mysterious about that. It was due to my
health. I suffer from low blood pressure and I need rest, I face
problems when I am under constant stress and strain. So I have
started meditation and yoga which is really helping me. So I am
concentrating on fewer films.
Q: As an actor, do you feel you've achieved what
you set out for in the last 10 years?
A: No, and that's a big no! I feel I haven't genuinely given
enough as an actor. I'm more a family man than a hardworking
actor. I've given only half of what I'm capable of giving. Had I
been completely dedicated to my work, I'd be far more successful
than I am now.
Q: How do you feel when people say that you
appeal to the more educated among filmgoers is limited?
A: Everything depends on how one looks at it. If the masses
hadn't appreciated Hum Apke Hain Kaun!, it wouldn't have been a
success. The same applies to Coolie No. 1. If the elite hadn't
appreciated it, it would have flopped.
Q: You have done four films with Shilpa Shetty,
but all of them flopped. Do you intend to act opposite her again?
A: I know our pair didn't click at all. But with Chhote Sarkar, I
feel the fault lies with the film itself: it was not strong
enough to make an impact. Anyway, we are doing another film
called Pardeshi Babu. This time we will try to do our best. It
becomes insulting at times when people crib about our films.
Q: Why has your brother's production Do Ankhe
Barah Haath been delayed?
A: An actor is everybody's property. You cannot stick to one
thing if you want to grow. I have to satisfy everyone. Every-one
is paying me for my work so there should be no bias on my side.
My brother's film shouldn't get top priority just because it's a
home production. Anyway, the film will be released by January.
Q: You are making Dil Deewane Mane which is
rumoured to be a remake of French Kiss. Ajay Devgan is apparently
also doing the same story. There are rumours that Ajay is rather
upset about this.
A: The idea was mine in the first place. But Ajay announced it
first. In any case, my film has shades of French Kiss, it is not
a remake. I told Ajay to go ahead with his film. He is like my
younger brother, so there are no hassles.
Q: Do films with similar themes click with the
audience?
A: Why not, if the treatment is different? Agnisakshi came after
Yaarana but was an instant hit. And then of course Darar.
Q: Why do you think the Govinda-Karisma-David
Dhawan team did so well?
A: (Laughs) Maybe because we have the same zest for whatever we
are involved in. The chemistry between the three of us, I guess,
is very strong. We are great pals off screen as well.
Q: We've heard that you mimic real life
characters in your film. How far is this true?
A: Yes, I do mimic. I don't like repeating Govinda time again.
Novelty stimulates viewers and I am a very observant person. I
have lived in a chawl. I have interacted with various kinds of
people, so there was no difficulty in mimicking them. In Coolie
No. 1 I mimicked our servant's husband, Pandu. In Sajan Chale
Sasural I copied the mannerisms of Kayum, a man from my village.
And in hero No. 1 I am Ramchandra Bhajiwala and using the get up
of a famous vadapav-wala from Dadar. Mama Kane.
Q: Do you miss your mother? You were very close
to her.
A: Yes, it's unimaginable. But I'm trying to get out of that
phase. Actually the credit for this goes to my mother herself.
Two years ago she prepared for her departure and simultaneously
prepared me for it. You can put in this way: unhone mere haath
bhagwan ke haath mei thama diya tha. She made me go through the
ritual of praying regularly and taking solace in God. This is why
I spend a lot of time doing puja. I will always regret the fact
that I couldn't get a sone ka jhula for my mother.
Q: You are notoriously unprofessional, or that's
what the industry says. Any comments?
A: (Laughs) Yes, I am. People comment because I am disorganised.
But the people who complain don't care in the least, so why
should I care. I am not saying I am doing a great job by being
unprofessional. Yes, I am trying to remove the flaws from my
system, but then it's not an easy task.
Q: What is your role in Hero No. 1?
A: It's another entertainer. I am in love with Karisma, and to
win her I dress as a servant and work in her family's house. I
win everybody's heart and become a hero to everyone. I won't
reveal anymore.