The late filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani, who passed away on June 4 due to liver cirrhosis, once spoke about the decline in Govinda's career, attributing it largely to the actor's choice of company. He claimed that Govinda was influenced by people in the industry who did not have his best interests at heart and that he increasingly relied on advice from pundits.
Pahlaj Nihalani blamed Govinda's inner circle for career downturn
He reflected on Govinda's career downturn during a conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, pointing to the actor's trusting nature and the influence of his inner circle as key reasons. Elaborating on his views, Pahlaj said, 'Govinda was an all-rounder. He handled his career very well, but because of his weakness, he tends to trust people easily, which is why this happened. The atmosphere around him isn't good, that's why he wanders away. He keeps the company of pandits and astrologers, fortune tellers, and the atmosphere he has around him and what he believes in. But people don't take those conversations seriously. These types of conversations and this aura are extremely damaging, which has affected his career in the film industry.'
David Dhawan poisoned his mind, alleged Pahlaj Nihalani
He further added, 'He was a single-screen hero, and when multiplexes came, people stopped his films from releasing. When Govinda's time came after Partner, all his films that came, people brought him down and didn't let the shows run. David Dhawan was working with him and David Dhawan poisoned his mind against me. Because they thought I made money, while my films made his name.'
From 90s superstardom to a new debut in the family
In the 1990s, Govinda enjoyed a successful run at the box office with hits such as 'Raja Babu', 'Coolie No. 1', 'Hero No. 1', and 'Saajan Chale Sasural', but his momentum slowed in the early 2000s as several of his films failed to perform. Now, his son Yashvardhan Ahuja is preparing to step into the industry with his Bollywood debut in Sai Rajesh's film.
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