Govind Arun Ahuja (born December 21, 1963 in Virar, Maharashtra India), popularly known as Govinda, is an actor in Hindi films. Starting with his debut in 1985, he has acted in over 120 Hindi films. In 2004, he joined politics, winning a parliamentary seat from Mumbai (formerly “Bombay”).
Personal life
Govinda was born to Arun Ahuja and Nirmala Arun Ahuja. He studied at Annasaheb Vartak College in Vasai, Maharashtra. He married Sunita Govind Ahuja on 11 March 1987.
Acting career
Govinda’s first film was Ilzaam in 1986 which was a success and launched his career. He acted in a string of movies after that, none of which was a major success. Finally, in 1988, Hatya, directed by his brother Kirti Kumar, proved to be a commercial success. He then did several movies directed by David Dhawan, most notably Shola Aur Shabham (1992) and Aankhen (1993), that were not only successful but also pulled Govinda towards comic roles. He then went onto star in many commercially successful comedy films in the 90s where he was frequently paired with actresses such as Karishma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon.
Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1994), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998) and Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) were some of the hit movies that the David Dhawan – Govinda combination did.
Govinda played a negative role for the first time in Shikari which was released in 2000. Although the movie was not a commercial success, Govinda’s convincing portrayal of a villain was critically acclaimed. His movies since then have not been box-office succeesses.
He decided to move to politics in 2003 and did not have any film releases in 2004 or 2005 apart from his delayed films Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen and Ssukh in 2005 which were also failures at the box office.
Clockwise from the top: Paresh Rawal, Govinda, Maushumi Udeshi, and Akshay Kumar from the song “Afreen” from the film Bhagam BhagGovinda made a comeback in 2006 with the film Bhagam Bhag which has been an average success. His recent release was the multi-starrer Salaam E Ishq: A Tribute To Love.
Political career
In 2004, Govinda joined the Congress party, and was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower House of Parliament from Mumbai with a thumping majority of beating the 5 time sitting MP by over 50000 votes.
In a run up to the polls, Govinda had announced that his agenda will be awaas (housing), prawaas (transportation), swasthya (health) and gyaan (education).
During the first ten months of his tenure as an Member of Parliament (MP), Govinda did not spend any money from his MP Local Area Development Fund of Rs. 20 million. He started utilizing his fund only when newspaper reports brought this to notice. According to the Thane district collectorate sources, Govinda committed Rs 7 to construct anganwadi, samaj mandirs and resolve drinking water problem of Vasai and Virar residents. However, work on these projects did not begin (as of August 2005), because administrative approval was being awaited. Govinda also took credit for 80% of the quadrupling of Borivli-Virar section on Western Railway (India).
His maiden speech in the Parliament, made during “zero hour”, had to be stopped by the speaker, after he started ranting problems in North Mumbai.
During his tenure as an MP, Govinda embarrassed his party, Congress, by coming out in open to support actor Shakti Kapoor, who had been caught in an sting operation, asking for sexual favours from a television reporter posing as a Bollywood aspirant. He also opposed the ban on dance bars, which embarrassed the Congress-NCP led Democratic Front Government, which had proposed the ban.
As an MP, Govinda has been criticized for being inaccessible to the people of his constituency, especially during the terrible rains (beginning July 26, 2005) that left around 450 dead in Mumbai. After the rains, while speaking to a TV channel, Govinda claimed that he had got Rs 150 million sanctioned for his flood-hit constituency after speaking to Sonia Gandhi. However, his own party colleagues contested the claim. Mohan Adhikari, the president of Palghar Congress Unit went on record saying that “not a single paisa” had been received.
In October 2005, a private TV channel telecast footage (believed to be 10-15 years old) showing him with the members of the underworld gang D-Company. Govinda has stated that he had no links with the gang and that he, along with other Bollywood personalities was pressured to meet with the gang and perform.
Awards
1997 – Special Filmfare award for Saajan Chale Sasural
1998 – Lux Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comedian role for Dulhe Raja
1998 – Special Videocon Screen award from Jury for overall performance
1999 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
1999 – Filmfare Best Comedian Award, Haseena Maan Jaayegi
2000 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Haseena Maan Jaayegi
Condensed filmography
Title Year Role Director Other Note
K.C.Bokadia’s next film 2007 Announced
Rang Manche 2007 Ujwal Chatterjee Announced
Jewellery Box 2007 Sashank Aparna Sen [4]
Partner 2006 David Dhawan In Production
Salaam E Ishq: A Tribute To Love January 2007 Raju Nikhil Advani Released
Bhagam Bhag 2006 Babla Priyadarshan
Sandwich (film) 2006 Sher Singh/Shekhar/Vicky Anees Bazmi
Ssukh 2005 Chandraprakash Sharma Kirti Kumar Also Producer
Ek Aur Ek Gyarah 2003 Tara David Dhawan
Three Roses 2003 cameo Parameshwar Tamil
Chalo Ishq Ladaaye 2002 Pappu
Waah! Tera Kya Kehna 2002 Raj Oberoi/Banne Khan
Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai 2002 Sunder Kirti Kumar
Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta 2001 Raj Malhotra David Dhawan
Albela 2001 Tony
Jodi No. 1 2001 Veeru David Dhawan
Aamdani Atthani Kharchaa Rupaiyaa 2001 Bhimsha
Hadh Kar Di Aapne 2000 Raju
Shikari 2000 Om Srivastav N. Chandra
Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain 1999 Rahul Malhotra Nabh Kumar ‘Raju’
Haseena Maan Jaayegi 1999 Monu David Dhawan
Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan 1998 Pyare Mohan/Chhote Miyan David Dhawan
Dulhe Raja 1998 Raja Harmesh Malhotra
Deewana Mastana 1997 Bunnu David Dhawan
Hero No. 1 1997 Rajesh Malhotra David Dhawan
Saajan Chale Sasural 1996 Shyamsunder David Dhawan
Coolie No. 1 1995 Raju David Dhawan
Dulaara 1994 Raja Vimal Kumar Also Singer
Raja Babu 1994 Raja Singh David Dhawan
Ekka Raja Rani 1994 Sagar Afzal Ahmed
Aankhen Bunnu/Gulshan/Gaurishankar 1993 David Dhawan
Jaan Se Pyara 1992 Inspector Jai/Sunder Anand
Hum 1991 Vijay Mukul S. Anand
Swarg 1990 Krishna David Dhawan
Maha-Sangram 1990 Mukul S. Anand
Awaargi 1990 Dhiren Kumar Mahesh Bhatt
Do Qaidi 1989 Kanu Ajay Kashyap
Hatya 1988 Sagar Kirti Kumar
Jeete Hain Shaan Se 1988 Iqbal Ali Kawal Sharma
Love 86 1986 Vikram Doshi Ismayeel Shroff
Ilzaam 1985
Trivia
His pet name is chichi
