Govinda didn't have a godfather in film industry

In an exclusive conversation with Lipika Varma, Bollywood actor Govinda talks about a late beginning at YRF, playing negative role and more...

I was offered many films from Yash Raj Films earlier but I was busy then. My dad had good relationship with them. I was struggling before Shola Aur Shabnam and a lot of films had flopped. Yash Chopra was doing Chandni and I didn’t get roles. I went to them but it didn’t happen. I am beginning so late with the YRF production with Kill Dill….but I feel whenever you begin it's great. They are very good people and I loved the script. The film came to me at the right time.

On films and his first negative role,

I didn't know how I will be able to do a negative role. In Shikari I did grey shaded character,but originally the character didn't have grey shades. N. Chandra was a great director and I didn't have the guts to say anything so I did what he told me. At times, the script is good and subjects are good but the film doesn't turn out well. If the film is good fans will like the film. If your role is good the fans will appreciate it.

Problems don’t cease after getting work. In the beginning of your career you feel excited and forget your other problems as you are looking for work which is the biggest problem for you then. But when you get work then you start finding problems in your work [smiles]. You do miss films but the choice you make is yours. It’s a personal choice. It's your choice you can’t do anything unless you produce a film.

On kids

My children are working hard and the credit goes to my wife Sunita. She has brought them up very well. They don’t say anything wrong. We were brought up in the same manner by our parents. She has signed a film now. Opposite Gippy Grewal. I hope I get to do a film with her someday. I must confess children now a days are smart enough they know what is good for them and choose for themselves. On so many occasions I look forward to their opinion. It feels nice while our children give us smart and great advice. I guess we would decide from our heart but now a days children decide from their mind. That's fine …as long as they know what is right and what is wrong and choose accordingly.

New comers work hard, we worked harder too. Now, it’s tougher there’s a lot of competition at the global level also. I feel the new comers are great actors. The whole process of looking good, working on your physicality has changed. The kind of body the actors need to maintain, earlier we considered such activities were limited only to models. (smiles) They are more glamorous, they have to work on their bodies, and they have to be expert in dancing, and need to excel in language. They are professional in everything and they have to work hard but yet I think we worked harder. Also I did not have a “Godfather” in the industry. You try to work hard and when people praise you it is then we realize that our work speaks for us. The appreciation you get through your work gives you that extra energies to be able to give your best.

Youngsters doing well: Yes there have been different Dance forms which have come in films; however, they are taking care to see that it doesn't look vulgar. Youngsters are really doing well for themselves.

On being late always on the sets: I remember when I was doing a film with Mani Ratnam he was shocked to notice me being on the sets very much on time. Indeed the media had highlighted about my late coming. Though I did reach late on the sets merely because I had opted for many films in the nineties. People told me it's good Govinda is not a female or else he would reach much late then, he signs off smilingly.