Angry Govinda Hits Out!

By Subhash K Jha

Govinda is not in a reconciliatory mood right now. After having been constantly pitched against co-stars in all his recent and remote films he feels it's time stop the combative spirit.

He laughs mirthlessly. "I'm not just pitched against my male costars but even female co-stars. When I did films with Karisma Kapoor people kept debating on which of us danced better," Govinda chuckles.

"Good that they never spoke about who looked prettier. Seriously, I don't want this kind of murky competition. It's hampering my career. Haven't Shah Rukh and Salman worked together in Karan Arjun and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam?

Nobody pitched them together because people close to them don't want them to be at loggerheads. Even I want that kind of a peaceful atmosphere around me. I'm fed up of being on tenterhooks because of such undue comparisons with co-stars."

Didn't Govinda resent the fact that Akshay walked away with the meaty part in Bhagam Bhaag? "Look I was happy with what I got to do in Priyadarshan's Bhagam Bhag and Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq.

I don't know why people keep pitching me against my co-stars. This isn't helping my attempts to re-establish myself. They become very conscious of my presence. I made no efforts to steal the scene from anyone. "

Says the actor, "Partner with Salman has been a very satisfying experience. I want to avoid this competitive feeling coming up this time. David Dhawan knows what Salman and I are about. He has worked so many times with both of us. He has given Salman the singing dancing and action. I get to do the comedy. So our domain is pre-divided. Can we avoid comparisons, please?"

So Govinda does in Partner exactly what the audiences have seen him do in Dhawan's film.

As for future assignments, "Chand niwaale mere mooh ke ird-gird ghoom rahen hain.. But after Partner there'll be a longish gap before my next release because I haven't signed anything. But with Salman in it, Partner is a hit.

I'm grateful to not just Salman but his entire family. In today's times who would spend crores making a big-budget film with an outsider like me? I don't want my relations with them to be spoilt with the same old ghisa-pita comparisons. Because what Salmanbhai can do, I can't. "