Veteran actress Himani Shivpuri, whose celebrated career spans decades working with Bollywood's biggest stars, recently shared fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about working with the legendary Govinda during the 1990s heyday of Hindi cinema.
The Airport Incident: Aruna Irani's Rescue Mission
In a candid conversation, Shivpuri recalled a particularly amusing incident that perfectly illustrated Govinda's notorious reputation for late arrivals. The incident occurred during the production of a film where Aruna Irani was producing and her husband Kuku Kohli was directing.
"We were supposed to fly to Hyderabad for shooting," Shivpuri shared. "I had reached the airport, Raveena had reached the airport, Aruna Ji was there, and Kuku Kohli was there. And Chichi was also supposed to come because we had a shooting the next day."
When Govinda failed to appear at the airport, the situation became increasingly tense. Aruna Irani, showing remarkable dedication, eventually sent the rest of the team ahead while she personally went to Govinda's house to retrieve him. True to her formidable reputation, Aruna Irani successfully brought him to the shoot.
Switzerland Shoot: David Dhawan's Frustration
The punctuality issues weren't isolated to domestic shoots either. Shivpuri revealed that even during the picturesque Switzerland filming of their hit movie 'Hero No 1', director David Dhawan would regularly become upset with Govinda for his delayed arrivals on set.
However, Shivpuri was quick to emphasize that once Govinda finally appeared, his talent made the wait worthwhile. "But once he used to come on the set, he was amazing, brilliant, and we had a wonderful time," she remembered fondly. "He is such a wonderful actor; he is improvising, and I am also improvising."
Analyzing Govinda's Career Challenges
Reflecting on Govinda's much-anticipated comeback to the big screen, Shivpuri offered insightful analysis about why the extraordinarily talented actor faced challenges in sustaining his career momentum.
"Chichi is such a brilliant actor," she stated unequivocally. "He's a wonderful dancer, what timing, and he has also done serious roles, but I think he couldn't reinvent himself, which is so sad."
Shivpuri explained that longevity in Bollywood requires constant evolution. "They should realise that the public's memory is quite fickle and that they get bored with seeing the same thing. You can't keep doing that. So an actor has to reinvent himself all the time to survive for a longer period."
The veteran actress worked alongside Govinda in several popular 90s films that have become classics, including:
- 'Deewana Mastana'
- 'Hero No 1'
- 'Hadh Kar Di Aapne'
- 'Anari No 1'
Through these revelations, Shivpuri provides not just entertaining anecdotes but valuable insight into the dynamics of 1990s Bollywood and the challenges even the most talented stars face in maintaining relevance in an ever-changing industry.
