Wait, is that Govinda in James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash?

Social media is a treasure trove. You just don’t know what you can find there. But not all posts are genuine. Days after James Cameron’s latest film Avatar: Fire and Ash was released in theatres all across the world, videos of Bollywood actor Govinda’s cameo in the film are making the rounds on the internet. Several clips have been circulated on X and Instagram which show Govinda in Pandora as a Na’vi.

But here’s the truth. All these images are actually AI-generated and fake.

Govinda in Pandora?

The AI-generated videos show Govinda, in blue colours similar to the Na'vi people from Avatar, doing a monologue. Another picture shows viewers watching the film in a theatre with Govinda on screen in a Gujarati-style colourful jacket, bonding with Jake Sully.

These videos have left many in splits but also some confused.

People have been questioning the genuineness of the videos. “Sch me h kya ye (Is this for real),” asked someone. Another added to the confusion and wrote. “Yr iss scene pr goosebumps aa gye the (Guys, this scene gave me goosebumps).”

“This was totally unexpected but I loved the cameo,” joked another. “Og is back phaly Akshay Khana or ab lord Govinda (first it was Akshaye Khanna and now Govinda),” wrote a fan.

The truth is far from what’s been shown on X. Govinda is not part of Avatar 3.

How did the meme start?

The joke perhaps originated from an old interview of Govinda, in which he claimed that James Cameron's Avatar was first offered to him, but he refused it.

Govinda told Mukesh Khanna in an interview earlier this year that he rejected the film— which ultimately became one of the biggest films ever made, grossing $2.9 billion at the box office —because he wasn't sold on the idea.

Govinda had shared that there have been many such incidents where he inadvertently helped others. He recalled an incident and said, “I even left an offer of ₹21.5 crore, although I remember this because it was painful. I had met a Sardarji in America and gave him a business idea to work in sweets and delicacies. Some years later, he said that the idea worked wonders for him. There, he made me meet James Cameron. He asked me to do a film with James, so I invited them for dinner to discuss it.”

He added, “Picture ka title bhi maine hi diya tha. Maine Rajesh Khanna ji ko dekha tha left hand kata hua… maine kaha, ‘Yaar accha aadmi he pata nahi kyu ajeeb sa role kar liya!’ Toh maine kaha, ‘Second time banegi Avatar!’ Toh mujhe kehta hai, ‘The hero is lame!’ (I had only given the title. I had seen Rajesh Khanna and wondered why he did that part. I only predicted the sequel). Maine kaha, ‘Lame? Govinda! Hello? I am not doing your picture!’ He said, ‘I am offering you 18 crores.’ I said, ‘I don’t want your 18 crores.' He said the shoot will be for 410 days. I said that is okay, but if I paint my body, I will be in the hospital!"

No one really bought the story but it did lead to hilarious memes on the internet.

Even his wife Sunita Ahuja denied his story and said in an interview, “Arey yaar mujhe toh nahi pata yeh kab offer hui, 40 saal toh mujhe hogaye hain Govinda ke saath. Vo Avatar ka director-producer kab aaya mujhe nahi malum. Hui bhi hai ki nahi mujhe nahi malum.

Main jhooth nahi bolti naa main kisi ka side lungi. Main jhooth ka saath nahi deti (Oh man, I have no idea when this was offered. It’s been 40 years for me with Govinda. I don’t even know when that Avatar director-producer came. I don’t even know if it actually happened or not. I don’t lie, nor do I take anyone’s side. I don’t support falsehood.)”

About the Avatar franchise

Directed by James Cameron, the first Avatar film was released in 2009, starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in the lead roles. The second instalment, The Way of Water, was released on December 16, 2022. The third film is currently in theatres worldwide.