In the late ’80s, Govinda had already begun making a name for himself as a rising star. However, filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani recently revealed that the actor felt insecure working alongside Rohan Kapoor, the son of the legendary singer Mahendra Kapoor.
The reason was not just about lineage but lifestyle. While Rohan arrived at the shoots in a luxury car, Govinda turned up in an auto. That comparison, according to Nihalani, left the actor unsettled.
What did Pahlaj Nihalani reveal?
Speaking to Pinkvilla, Nihalani recalled, “Govinda worked in Love 86 with Rohan Kapoor. Rohan always came in a car, Govinda by auto. He felt a complex about it. I told him, buy a car for yourself. At that time, Vinod Mehra had also given him Rs 50,000 for a project, and with that, he bought a Maruti 800 worth about Rs 1 lakh.”
Nihalani also revealed that, although he launched Govinda, the actor’s first project was his uncle’s film, Tan-Badan. The film initially struggled to find distributors, and Govinda chose not to share that setback with Nihalani.
How did Govinda celebrate his first car?
The filmmaker recalled how a thrilled Govinda picked up his brand-new Maruti 800 straight from the showroom and drove it to Nihalani’s party at Holiday Inn. He even took Nihalani and his wife for a drive that very evening.
Their bond was close, almost family-like, said Nihalani, but he clarified, “We were never really friends.”
What about his personal life rumours?
Lately, Govinda has been in the headlines not for films but for his personal life. Reports surfaced that his marriage to Sunita Ahuja was on the rocks.
However, the couple silenced whispers when they appeared together during Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. Sunita firmly told the media, “Today we are so close… If there was something, would we be like this? Nobody can separate us-neither God nor devil.”
The journey of the ’90s superstar wasn’t always about glamour. Behind the laughter and stardom were moments of insecurity, humility, and personal challenges. But whether it was competing with star kids or battling rumours in his personal life, Govinda’s resilience kept him standing tall.
Highlights
- Pahlaj Nihalani revealed Govinda once felt insecure of co-star Rohan Kapoor.
- Govinda bought his first car, a Maruti 800, after feeling a complex about arriving in autos.
- Wife Sunita dismissed divorce rumours, saying no one can separate them.