The 90s Bollywood duo of Govinda and David Dhawan created some of the biggest blockbusters of the era. With hits like Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, and Partner, their combination was unbeatable. However, their successful partnership came to an abrupt end, leaving fans wondering why. Recently, Govinda’s wife, Sunita Ahuja, shed light on the reason behind their fallout during an appearance on the podcast Timeout with Ankit.
David Dhawan Suggested Govinda Take Secondary Roles
According to Sunita, one of the key reasons for their split was David Dhawan’s suggestion that Govinda transition to playing secondary roles in films, much like senior actors Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar had started doing. Sunita said, “David told Govinda that if he wanted to remain in the industry for a long time, he should start taking on secondary roles.” This did not sit well with Govinda, who had only delivered solo hits with David Dhawan in the 90s and felt uncomfortable with the idea of being a second lead.
The Role of People Around Them
Sunita also pointed out that those close to Govinda might have played a role in keeping him stuck in the past. “People around you can influence your decisions. They keep telling you that you’re a hero and should only do lead roles. But times change, and one should adapt to the trend,” she explained. According to Sunita, these voices contributed to Govinda’s resistance to shifting his career in a new direction.
Creative Differences Were Inevitable
Despite the fallout, Sunita expressed that neither David Dhawan nor Govinda was entirely at fault. She believes it was simply a difference in perspective. “Maybe Govinda wasn’t ready for that transition because he was used to being the solo lead. But David wasn’t wrong either in suggesting a different path. It was just that both had valid points from their respective positions,” she added.
Govinda and David Dhawan parted ways in 2014, marking the end of an era of comedy and blockbuster collaborations that remains cherished by fans.
