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Govinda recalls how angry Kader Khan abused him, decided to shoot without him: ‘He almost drowned, came back and…’

Govinda said while his longtime collaborator Kader Khan was usually not abusive, he lost his cool on the actor on set one day. Kader was under the impression that Govinda was being difficult.

Kader Khan once abused Govinda for not giving a shot.

If one recalls the hit comedy films of 1990s and early 2000s, one can’t disassociate two names from each other — Govinda and Kader Khan. The two actors riffed off on each other’s comic timing in dozens of films, from Hero No. 1 to Saajan Chale Sasural. Govinda recently recalled how towards the end of their storied creative partnership, he had a heated disagreement with the late actor and screenwriter.

“Main subah saat baje se shooting ke liye pahucha tha. Main baitha hu, intezar kar raha hu, 12 baj ke 10 minute par shot lagaya hai. Toh main khana order kar dia. ‘Khana order kar do.’ ‘Kya hua?’ ‘Maine bola bhookh lagi hai, khana khaenge.’ Toh Kader Khan ji aaye aur bole, ‘Ye time hai khane ka?’ Toh maine bola, ‘Han, lo aap bhi khaiye.’ ‘Chaliye shot dete hain.’ Maine kaha, ‘Nahi sir, main subah se aaya hu. Ye logon ne mera shot nahi lagaya. Ab main khana khaunga, mujhe bhookh lagi hai. Aap aaiye.’ ‘Arey, main keh raha hu tu shot de de.’ ‘Arey sir, main keh raha hu, thoda samjha kijiye.’ (I reached the set at 7 am. I was sitting and waiting since the morning, but the crew set up my shot only at 12:10 pm. So I said I’m hungry now and am ordering lunch. So Kader Khan came and said, ‘Is this the time for lunch?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, you should eat too.’ ‘Let’s give the shot.’ I said, ‘No sir, I’ve been waiting since morning, these guys didn’t set up my shot. Now, I’m hungry and will eat. You also join.’ ‘I’m insisting you give the shot.’ ‘Sir, I’m also insisting, please understand.’),” Govinda recalled.

In the same podcast on Bheeshm International, Govinda added, “(Kader Khan told him), ‘Yar ye maine tera bada suna hai aajkal ki tu bahut samjha raha hai. Darta hai kya? Paani se darr lagta hai tujhe?’ (Laughs) ‘Mujhe kisi se, uparwale ke alawa kisi se nahi lagta, sir.’ ‘Chal chal, shot de de.’ ‘Maine kaha, nahi sir, thoda wait kijiye, fir chalenge.’ (I’ve heard a lot that you’re being difficult these days. Are you afraid of anyone or not?’ ‘I am not afraid of anyone, except God.’ ‘Come on, give the shot.’ I said, ‘No sir, please wait for a while, then we’ll do it.’). So my idea was that thoda sa time nikal jaye (let some time pass) and then I’ll give the shot. Toh bahut gali-vali diye mujhe. Aise kabhi dete nahi the. Mujhe bahut prem karte the. Mujh par unki bahut kripa rahi. (He abused me a lot. He would not usually. He loved me a lot. He has done a lot for me).”

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After Govinda refused to give the shot, Kader Khan went ahead anyway. But the shot could never be canned as the boats they were shooting on drowned. So did the camera and Kader Khan, who went missing for a while. Govinda recalled that after he returned, (Kader Khan said), “‘Zara apna hath dena.’ Mera hath kiss kia. ‘Tum mein baat hai.’ Maine kaha, ‘Sir, mujhe ye baat sunne ke liye kitni gaali khani padi (‘Give me your hand.’ He kissed my hand. ‘You have something in you.’ I said, ‘I had to hear so many abuses to get this compliment).”

Kader Khan died in 2018 at the age of 81. His comedies with Govinda continue to tickle the funny bone of the audience on television and OTT.

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