In a recent podcast interview with Learn From The Legend, filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani opened up about casting Govinda during a time when the actor didn’t have any work. He recalled their early collaborations and explained how Govinda’s talent, despite initial doubts, led to his casting in Ilzaam (1986).
When Govinda Struggled, Pahlaj Nihalani Stepped In
“I made four films with Govinda,” Nihalani said. “After Aandhi Toofan, I wanted to cast Mithun Chakraborty and Shatrughan Sinha again, but Mithun’s dates didn’t work out. That’s when Govinda entered the picture.”
He admitted to being unimpressed at first. “I saw his pictures and I didn’t like them at all. I didn’t like his look. But then he brought me a video cassette of his dance, and breakdance was huge at the time thanks to Michael Jackson. I didn’t like his face much, but I cast him because of his work—his dancing, action, everything. My story had a lot of action, so I took a day and got back to him.”
Nihalani continued, “As an actor, there’s still no one as talented as him today. He may not have fit roles like a doctor or an advocate because of his height, but once someone becomes a star, you can make them do anything.”
Govinda’s Struggles and Insecurity
The filmmaker shared that Govinda was out of work when he cast him in both Shola Aur Shabnam and Aankhen. “When he didn’t have any work, I gave him Shola Aur Shabnam, his first time doing comedy. Later, when he was struggling again, I offered him Aankhen. I even changed his image for that film. Originally, I wanted to cast Dilip Kumar and Mehmood. If you watch it today, you’ll see shades of both.”
When asked about Govinda’s alleged arrogance, Nihalani said it stemmed from insecurity. “Govinda was always insecure. His father was a big hero under Mehboob Khan, but he faced major losses and struggled. Govinda carried that pain with him.”
He added, “His main focus was earning money. He had responsibilities—his siblings and all. He was caught up in money matters and that changed his attitude. When there’s a lot of work and pressure, a habit forms. He became defensive. All of that ate him up. But if he hadn’t faced those struggles, you’d never find an actor like him, even if you searched.”
