Salman bailed Govinda

Is his prolonged period of ill luck over? In his most candid interview ever, Govinda tells Subhash K Jha why it feels good to be back in the groove.

Q: The bad phase seems to be over in your life….
A: For a change let's talk about the good things that are happening to me…like Priyadarshan's Bhaagam-bhag. Kamse- kum zindagi ki bhaagam-bhaag parde pe nazar aayegi (laughs).

I'm looking forward to working with Priyan. Sab oopar wale ka karam hai. I feel my time has changed. I've been given another opportunity to do work. Rozi-roti aur family, dono chali to musibat tali.

Q: You're working with Akshay Kumar for the first time in Bhaagam-Bhaag.
A: Yes, neither had I worked with Salman before David Dhawan's Partner. Working with Salman is a fabulous experience. He was the main motivation for my comeback to movies. I'm thankful to Salman and Sohail for signing me at a time when I was down and out.

I badly needed that project. I needed to return to acting. My career as a politician didn't really take off. On the other hand my movie career had stalled. I was stuck. David Dhawan and Salman bailed me out.

Q: David has promised a new Govinda in Partner.
A: Let's see. We're doing some good work here. For so many years I was jobless. I'm happy to get back to work. The USP of Bhagam-Bhaag and Partner is that they have comic elements but they aren't entirely comedy films. I think this is the correct method of using comedy in films.

In David Dhawan's Aankhen and Shola Aur Shabnam there were elements of comedy. But they weren't comedy films. That's how I'd like my comedy to be from now on. I won't sacrifice seriousness for laughs.

Q: I'm sure you got tired of doing the same comic routine.
A: I can't say I got tired. I chose to do those films. In fact I was so tired of other things in my life that the comic routine, as you call it, gave me solace although I had done around one hundred and fifteen films.

Sometimes drinking water from same well becomes tedious. To continue a conversation after it has ended is bakwas. I decided to keep mum for a while. Now I've entered a new phase in my career. Let's see where it takes me.

Q: Nikhil Advani swears by your punctuality.
A: He's the Ramesh Sippy of tomorrow. Nikhil has the same passion at such a young age. I'm surprised by his sensible attitude to cinema. And if he says I'm punctual for Salaam-e-Ishq isn't that something? All these years I've been accused f being unpunctual, and I was. I've made punctuality a part of my career now.

A senior colleague once asked me…Tum dekho tumne har rishte ko kya diya aur har rishte ne tumko kya diya. Likewise I want to see what my work has given me and what I've given back my work.

Now I'm focusing completely on my acting career. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't giving all of myself to my career earlier. But I never considered punctuality a part of my work ethics.

Q: Why ?
A: I was over-worked. I was tired. And I was depressed. My mother's death was the main cause for my restlessness. Tragedies fell on me like bricks. Just dealing with them left me sapped. A man cannot work properly when he's swamped by setbacks. Mere saath to aati ho gaya.

I don't think anyone in the history of mankind has taken so many setbacks. God can't be wrong, so the fault must lie with me. I can't take any more pain and loss. Let's hope that phase has ended.

Q: You've worked with a South African actress in Salaam-e-Ishq?
A: Yes, Shanon. Seeing her sincerity and working skills I was amazed. When she'd made a mistake she's get so nervous. I get very humbled watching such newcomers. Maybe because of doing so many films scenes come automatically to me. But the enthusiasm of a newcomer is very contagious.

Q: Do you think politics was a wrong move?
A: I won't say that. It was one way of enhancing my storehouse of experiences. Sometimes we have to give back to society what we take from it. When one takes a job one usually knows what's in store.

This was one job where I went with only my conscience for support. It was my conscience which helped me save myself from the attacks in politics. I'm sure whatever I learnt from politics will help me in my life later.

Q: I feel you got nothing but humiliation out of politics?
A: Yes, badnaami and bitching. They've become the ground rules for today's politics. Am I a misfit in politics? Even people who've been in politics for seventy years have gone through crisis. Yeh yahan ka chalan hai. Isse samajh ke chalna chahiye.

Q: Have you signed any other films?
A: I have to wait for big banners. My future will be determined by my three forthcoming releases. My last few films couldn't get a decent theatrical release. But my next three films will definitely get released. I've signed one more film with David Dhawan. But that's it. David is in a different mood these days. He wants to do a different kind of work. You will get to see a different David in Partner and in our film after that.

Q: Does Salman feel threatened by your scene-stealing presence?
A: At the moment my career is so ruined that I'm happy people like David and Salman agreed to work with me. I'm not trying to create any sympathy for myself. Fact is, I wasn't able to get even one-third of Salman or Akshay's price. I'm can neither command their price nor am I as good-looking as them.

I can't look like Salman nor fight like Akshay. And that's the truth. I want to go back to the place that I had once occupied where I'd be away from all comparisons.

People say I need only a few scenes to make my presence felt. But this time I don't want to be called a scene-stealer. I want to move forward with the support and love of all my colleagues in the industry.

Q: Govinda is Govinda.
A: Filhaal main bahut mota ho gaya hoon. Bahut busy hoon. Aur do naukri kar raha hai.

Q: Why don't you do something about your weight?
A: After I had a bout of typhoid I haven't been able to bring my weight under control. Whenever I try, strange things happen to me. I lose my equilibrium. I must tell you I've lost ten kgs.

I've to lose another ten kgs… I pray to God that he gives me the strength to do the right things now. Now let's say if God is with me. Only time will tell. I just want to continue working.

Q: Will you be shuttling between Delhi and Mumbai?
A: Only to the extent that it's essential. And I don't think my going to Delhi isn't that important any more.