David Dhawan says Salman Khan wasn’t ‘keen’ on working in Partner with Govinda, answers if Hero No 1 actor was late on sets

David Dhawan recalled the time when Govinda and had the near-perfect partnership.

New Delhi | July 30, 2024 03:29 PM IST

3 min read

Govinda and Salman Khan worked together in Partner.

Director David Dhawan and actor Govinda had a near-perfect partnership in the 1990s. The duo worked together in almost 17 films and most of them were big hits. In a recent chat, David recalled the time when he worked with Govinda and said that he wad the only who could “handle” the actor. David was also asked about Govinda’s tardiness and the director, without elaborating much, said that his work was always done. He also spoke about how Salman Khan wasn’t “keen” on working in Partner and Anil Kapoor felt a little insecure because of Govinda and David’s bond.

In a chat with Bollywood Bubble, David said that Govinda was the “king of improvisation” which helped him. The two worked together in films like Raja Babu, Coolie No 1, Hero No 1, Aankhen, Saajan Chale Sasural among many others. He also shared that they had a “special language” that they used to communicate on set if a scene wasn’t working out as planned. “I would say ‘rubber hai scene, prolonged, khincha hua hai’. Govinda would say ‘David, main pura scene ek shot mein deta hun’,” he recalled.

Talking about their working relationship even further, David said, “I was the only one who could handle him. Too much respect he has given me always.” When asked if Govinda was late on David’s sets as well, the director said, “Kaam khatam hota tha mera.”

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David then spoke about working with Salman and Govinda in Partner and recalled that he had a chat about casting them together with producer Sohail Khan. “I said ‘can we take Govinda and Salman bhai?’ He said damn good. Went to Salman bhai, he was not very keen. I told him, ‘come yaar, let’s do it, it will be a big thing’.” He then recalled another incident from the film’s shoot in Bangkok and said, “Salman told me one day, when we were shooting in Bangkok, he said ‘David yaar, isse ladna… fayda nahi hai.”

He also recalled working with Anil Kapoor and Govinda in Deewana Mastana and said, “Anil Kapoor was a very laborious actor. Govinda was like butter.” He also added, “Anil used to be a little upset. He would say ‘both of you have worked so much together. I went on a vacation, you shot so much with Govinda behind my back’.”

David last directed Coolie No 1 with his son Varun in 2020.

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