Govinda’s new laughter challenge

This situation is likely to change with Govinda now back to doing what he does best — making people laugh. Naughty@40 and Run Bhola Run (RBR) — both slapstick comedies — are scheduled to release next week and in June,respectively. Banda Yeh…,which has been ready for the last two years,releases in June. “They are typical Govinda-entertainers — they will make you laugh,” says the 48-year-old.

However,what makes him happy is working with “internationally acclaimed director” Jagmohan Mundhra. “I always wanted to work with directors of international repute. But my personality did not match their expectations. It still doesn’t,but at least I have got a chance now,” he smiles. Maybe it was not his personality alone. His reputation of always being late on the sets might have contributed to it. Now,he claims to have turned a new leaf. “I reach the sets on time now. For Raavan,I had to wake up at 4 am every day,but I did it,” he says,punching the air.

Comic roles have always been the mainstay of his career. “Initially,when I was offered comic roles,I used to wonder why I was doing the same thing. But when success started coming my way,I decided to continue with it,” says Govinda,famous for comic roles in Aankhen,Coolie No 1,Hero No 1,Raja Babu and Aunty No 1.

After a successful decade that lasted till the late ’90s,the actor went through a rough patch. His movies stopped doing well and finances started falling apart. “I have seen it all. But bad times affect you only when you let that happen,” he says confidently. The actor’s bad patch did end briefly with the David Dhawan-directed Partner and Bhaagam Bhag — both released in 2007. The news of Partner’s sequel made the actor very happy. But four years since the film released,the sequel is yet to be finalised. “David will make it when he finds the right script. But I think,after Do Knot Disturb (Dhawan’s last directorial venture),he has become a little disturbed. He will come through,” says Govinda,in a lighter vein.