Govinda was ‘thrown out’ from BR Chopra’s office for rejecting this role in Mahabharat, producer called his mom ‘pagal’: ‘Main unke ghar mein…’
Govinda remembered how his refusal to BR Chopra for Mahabharat left the producer furious, and he was thrown out for rejecting India’s biggest show.
Actor Govinda recalled that he was offered India’s biggest show Mahabharat, but he rejected it after following his mother’s advice. Recently, the Coolie No 1 actor appeared in The Mukesh Khanna Show, and during the conversation, the Hero No 1 actor admitted that he was offered a role in BR Chopra’s iconic show.
Haseena Maan Jayegi actor revealed that he often visited the home of BR Chopra and his son, Ravi Chopra, to assist Ravi’s wife, Renu Chopra, with household chores. Sharing a memory from the late 80s, Govinda said, “Mein unke ghar mein jakar kaam vam karta tha (I would work at their home). Renu bhabhi would call me, ‘Chichi beta aaja ghar par (Chichi, come home). I am not well. We will clean up the house.’ I think BR Chopra wasn’t aware of this. He didn’t know that I had been to his house and that aunty (Mrs Chopra) loved me a lot. He was not aware of that.”
In BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, Govinda was offered the role of Abhimanyu. However, when the young actor was told about his role, he refused, and the producer couldn’t handle his rejection. “I reached his office and he told me that he has selected me to play Abhimanyu’s role in Mahabharat. I told him, ‘My mom has said no to do this role. I won’t do it.’ He asked me, ‘What is your mom?’ I told him she is Sadhvi and that film line is secondary for me and I only do what she tells me to do. I didn’t think of Chopra sahab as this big, influential figure at that time. My mind was different,” Govinda asserted.
BR Chopra was short-tempered, so he blurted out, ‘Woh thodi pagal hai (She is mad).’ I told him that my mom’s first film was Sharda, she has done nine films, and that she is his senior. I told him that whatever my mom says becomes true, so I don’t have the status to go against her words.”
Govinda revealed that after hearing him, BR Chopra asked him to leave his office. When he tried to explain his part, he was thrown out by Chopra himself. The Swarg actor revealed that his Sadhvi mom told him to act in front of BR Chopra and to tell him, ‘Apki soch mein kha gaya (I have eaten your thoughts),’ and he did the same. However, BR Chopra reacted in anger, and said, ‘Ye kya pagal hai, bahar nikalo isko (Who is this mad person? Throw him out)’. Govinda continued that he asked Chopra to think about his reason, but the producer was forcing Govinda out of his office.
