From Bandra to Virar, how Govinda became a star

New Delhi

Govinda, born to actor Aroon and singer-actress Nirmala Devi, experienced a dramatic shift in his family's fortunes during his early years. In an old interview with Simi Grewal, he revealed that his father, who had acted in about 40 films, decided to venture into film production.  

However, the failure of a single film project had severe consequences for the family. They were compelled to leave their luxurious Bandra residence and relocate to a modest house in Virar, a suburb of Mumbai. 

After the setbacks, Govinda's parents lived to see his remarkable ascent to stardom. His mother passed away in 1996, followed by his father in 1998. 

Govinda speaking with Grewal 

“He had made a film which didn’t work and he lost a lot of money. We had a bungalow at Carter Road, but after the film flopped, we had to move to Virar. That’s when the hard times began, and I was born. With failure, he was really shaken and he couldn’t take it and the entire family faced that difficulty,” Govinda shared. 

He recalled that initially he never thought of working in the film industry. In fact, as a commerce graduate, Govinda was interested in various office jobs, even applying for a position at Taj Hotels, only to be turned down because he didn’t speak English. His primary goal was never fame, but the desire to give his mother a comfortable life.

When Simi mentioned his earlier comment that it was his “anger at seeing the struggle of my mother that made me a star,” Govinda agreed, saying, “When you see your mother struggling to get through a bad patch in life, struggling very hard… She was coping with everything. I have seen her struggle through everything, and I wanted to change it very fast.” 

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Govinda hospitalised 

Govinda lately returned home after being discharged from the hospital, where he was admitted after an accidental gunshot wound. He is currently in the process of recovery.