Govinda was one of the most prolific stars of the 1990s, often shooting for multiple films simultaneously. But on ‘The Kapil Sharma Show‘, he revealed the alarming price that relentless pace extracted and how the late legendary actor Dilip Kumar stepped in at a critical moment to save his life with a piece of advice that changed everything.
Govinda reveals how Dilip Kumar saved his life
Govinda told host Kapil Sharma that his punishing work schedule eventually landed him in the hospital. When Dilip Kumar heard the news, he personally called to check on him. The ‘Hero No. 1’ actor recalled the exchange and said, “One day, I was hospitalised, and he (Dilip Kumar) called me.” When Dilip Kumar asked what had caused the health decline, Govinda replied simply, “Sir, I have been working for 15 days non-stop.“Dilip Kumar did not mince words. He told Govinda that continuing at this pace would ruin him and advised him to walk away from 25 committed films. The ‘Haseena Maan Jayegi’ actor’s immediate concern was financial; he had already taken advances for those projects. Dilip Kumar’s solution was practical – he pointed Govinda towards someone who could provide a loan to return the money.“So, I left 25 films. I am alive because of that,” Govinda said, adding simply: “I survived because of Mr Dilip.”
More about Govinda
The context behind this health crisis makes the revelation all the more striking. After debuting in 1986 with ‘Love 86’, Govinda went on to deliver a string of blockbusters through the late 1980s and 1990s, including ‘Raja Babu’ (1994), ‘Coolie No. 1’ (1995), ‘Hero No. 1’ (1997), ‘Dulhe Raja’ (1998), and ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ (1998), among many others. His last screen appearance was in ‘Rangeela Raja’, alongside Shakti Kapoor. The film was directed by Sikandar Bharti and released in 2019.
