Govinda as Bhaiyaji in Kill/Dil

Govinda is sitting on a white cane sofa in a large and sparsely furnished living room in his bungalow in Mumbai’s Juhu when t2 drops in to meet the former Hero No 1. While his make-up dada fusses about his hair, the 50-year-old actor hums to himself, twirling a huge silver-and-blue kadaa. “This is to ward off the evil eye,” he says when he notices me admiring it. On his other wrist is an equally eye-popping rudrakash bracelet which is also for “keeping away negative energies”.

Considering his last hit was Partner in 2007, it’s not surprising that Govinda wants to surround himself with everything that could bring him luck. The actor has two back-to-back releases with Kill/Dill and Happy Ending... and seven other projects in different stages of completion, including Ranbir Kapoor’s Jaaga Jasoos. “I am having a great time. Cinema seems to have changed so much in the time that I have been away,” he says, flashing the famous Govinda grin.

It is said that you weren’t keen on being a part of Kill/Dil when Shaad Ali first offered it to you...

Actually, it wasn’t so much about whether or not I was keen. The problem was that I didn’t think I could pull off the role that Shaad had offered. I had never experimented with my roles in the past. So, the thought of playing a character like Bhaiyaji was very intimidating (laughs).

What then gave you the confidence to pull off the role?

I asked Sunita (wife) and my daughter Tina (earlier known as Narmada). Both of them said that I should do the film. They said that I shouldn’t give up on the one opportunity that has come my way. Regardless of the film or role, I have always been very honest about my work. No one can ever say that I haven’t given a film my 100 per cent and I did the same with Kill/Dil. So it feels really good that people are appreciating my work. Full credit to Adi (producer Aditya Chopra) and Shaad for knowing how to present me.

In the 160-plus films you have done, you’ve only played a negative character in Shikari (2000). Was it tough for you to channel your inner bad guy?

(Pauses) It was very difficult. I spent a lot of time thinking about the kind of bad person I would be. Shaad had explained to me what he wanted, but I still couldn’t get a hang of what I should do. It took me a lot of time. Finally, on the set I showed Shaad a few options and he picked what he liked. I am still surprised that people are loving the promos as much as they are (smiles). Everyone seems to be wondering how did Govinda do it?

Your last big-ticket release was Mani Ratnam’s Raavan in 2010. Did the film offers dry up or did you not like what was being offered after that?

I didn’t like what was being offered. Also, films that I liked and made weren’t getting released. So, I got wary of signing any film because every film that got stuck or flopped spoilt my reputation. To save myself any further embarrassment, I stopped signing films. It was very important that if I made a film, it got released and was liked by people. I decided to sit at home and wait for good directors to come with roles that I could do justice to. I wanted to give the audience something new and interesting to see. I realised people weren’t interested in seeing the same Govinda they had seen for decades. People could see the Govinda brand of comedy on TV, stage shows and films… everyone was doing the same thing.

Salman (Khan) had already helped me in the past (with Partner) and I didn’t expect him to help me again. If you expect someone to help you every time, that person won’t remain a friend for long

After two decades of working multiple shifts, it must have been tough for you to be out of work?

It was tough.... (Pauses) From the time I started my career, I have believed in creating magic instead of waiting for magic to happen. In that period it was important for me to stay positive and believe that achhe din aayenge. You have to believe in your own abilities and creativity and that there is light at the end of the tunnel. You can never let difficult times get the better of you... you have to keep moving… keep trying. That’s what life is all about.

Amitabh Bachchan has spoken about his days of uncertainty in the ’90s before Mohabattein when he went to Yash Chopra and said ‘I want to work’. Like him, you also had built many relationships in Bollywood. So, did you at any point consider asking for help?

It’s not like I didn’t have work at all. I had films with four big producers that are still stalled. I have a film with Ashtavinayak (Productions), who last released Bol Bachchan but mine is stuck. There is another film with Ravi Chopra. I thought my luck was stuck somewhere, so even if I asked for work, things won’t get better. You can’t even blame someone else if your luck is rotten. Also, it is a little embarrassing to ask for work... so I just decided to wait it out.

All the top actors today have their own production houses. They are in a position to mount a project for themselves if everything else fails. I have only now set up my production house. When I started Abhinay Chakra (that released and bombed in August this year), I had already signed the nine films I have in hand. I didn’t know if I could be a hero again, but Sunita made me realise that I could still pull it off. Her only suggestion was to pick a subject that everyone would relate to. I thought Abhinay Chakra was interesting because this policeman catches people even before they commit the crime. I am not interested in playing a “hero” anymore... I want to play characters. Now that I have done Kill/Dil and Happy Ending, I have more confidence about playing characters.

Was there anyone from the industry who supported you during your low phase?

Four or five years ago, I had sent a film financier to David (Dhawan). He refused the project (smirks). I had to work really hard for three or four years to come back to where I am today. Salman (Khan) came to me twice with the same project, but I had already refused the film even before he got involved with it. I told Mahesh (Manjrekar) that I don’t do art films and that’s exactly what I told Salman later on as well. I can’t see kids crying… I didn’t want to do anything that I wasn’t happy with which is why I refused (the remake of the Marathi film Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho). Also, Salman had already helped me in the past (with Partner) and I didn’t expect him to help me again. If you expect someone to help you every time, that person won’t remain a friend for long.

David and you used to be so close…

“Used to be” is the right phrase. I haven’t met him in five years.

It must be upsetting that he didn’t try to help you...

Nahin… that’s the way the film industry is. I have realised that people who worked with you for a long time find it tough to tell you that your time is up. Which is why they avoid meeting you. Maybe they find it tough to face up to the fact. My time in politics taught me to take every situation head-on. If you know you are going through a bad time, you go meet people and talk things out.

Like when I joined the Congress, I thought they were like my family... just the way I am helping them, they will help me. But all I heard was ‘We’ll help you when the time is right for us’. This is after the Congress was in power at the Centre and in Maharastra, but apparently it wasn’t the “right time” for them (smiles). You have to understand that god has a plan for you and things will work out when he wants them to be okay.

In retrospect, do you have any regrets about how you managed your career?

Looking back, I should have gone through this bad phase more gracefully. I should have smiled and seen each day through. You know when I came from Virar (at the beginning of his career), I didn’t see roadblocks and think ‘Oh no! How will I get to the other side?’ I just found my way across. If you don’t think of a phase as being bad or difficult, no one can force you to.

At the peak of your career, people had a lot of complaints about your style of working...

See, people had complaints because I was working too much. I was doing so many films that I couldn’t even spend time with my family. Now, I won’t sign more than I can handle at one time. I don’t want to spoil the relationships that I have started to rebuild now.

What do you think of the new generation of actors? You have already worked with Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor....

They are very good at their work. You can’t compare these actors to the actors from my time. Actors today have these perfect bodies…we never had that (laughs). But I don’t think they have the kind of energy we used to have. I don’t think any of them will be able to do the number of films we have done. Actors today will do great work in one film at a time.

Varun Dhawan is being called the next Govinda...

Haan, but if you see his physique, he should be called the next Salman Khan! (Laughs)