Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is widely regarded as the industry’s ‘Mr Perfectionist’. However, veteran actor Shagufta Ali believes Govinda is an even bigger perfectionist. Recalling their time together on the sets of Hero No. 1, she revealed that Govinda would often rehearse a scene up to 25 times and insist on multiple retakes until he was completely satisfied with the shot, even if it left his co-stars exhausted.
Shagufta Ali says Govinda is a perfectionist
In a chat with Siddharth Kannan, Shagufta recalled how shooting for Hero No. 1 was like a paid holiday and said, “We used to have great fun whether Govinda or Karisma were on the set or not. 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.”
She added, “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 person, fun-loving. He does 25 rehearsals. Govinda is a bigger perfectionist than Aamir Khan. David sir would okay the take, but he would still insist and also apologise to others. His eye for perfection was so strong that he didn’t care if the person opposite him was tired.”
Shagufta also revealed that the late legendary comic actor Kader Khan used to get angry whenever Govinda arrived late on set. She added that the other co-stars would also get irritated, but they had no choice except to wait for hours for Govinda to arrive every day.
About Govinda
Govinda ruled Bollywood in the 1990s and was known for his unmatched comic timing, energetic dance moves and expressive performances. He rose to superstardom with a string of blockbuster films such as Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Dulhe Raja, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner. His collaborations with director David Dhawan and actors such as Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Kader Khan became hugely popular.
However, the early 2000s saw a decline in his career. Although Partner (2007) marked a successful comeback, Govinda struggled to sustain the momentum. The actor was last seen in Rangeela Raja, in which he played a double role. However, the film failed at the box office, and he has since stayed away from the big screen.