Govinda reveals he once refused BR Chopra to play the role of 'Abhimanyu' in 'Mahabharat', which angered the latter.
BR Chopra launched and boosted the career of several actors in the television and Hindi film industry with his mythological series, Mahabharat. While some phenomenal actors were associated with the show, there was one actor who refused to play the role he was offered. Govinda was asked to play the role of 'Abhimanyu' in the TV series, but he turned the opportunity down.
Govinda refused to play the role of 'Abhimanyu' in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, which led to the actor being kicked out from the latter's office. Govinda sat for a conversation with Mukesh Khanna on his YouTube channel. He revealed that he was selected to essay the role. However, he emphasized that he had never auditioned for the same. The actor further added that he refused to play the role because his mother had asked him to. He stated:
"I reached his office, and he told me that he had 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."
In the same conversation, Govinda revealed that BR Chopra was a short-tempered man and called his mother mad. He shared his mother's first name (Sharda) with the filmmaker and told him that she was his senior. He further added that at the time, he would do whatever his mother had asked him to do as whatever she said would come true.
However, his mother asked him to do something, which led to BR Chopra throwing him out of his office. Govinda also recalled that after he exited Chopra’s office, the director-producer’s health deteriorated, and he saw an ambulance entering the office to take him to the hospital. He stated:
"BR Chopra was short-tempered, so he blurted out, 'Woh thodi pagal hai.' 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. My mom had told me to act in front of BR Chopra and to tell him, 'Apki soch mein kha gaeya.' and I did the same. BR Chopra said, 'Ye kya pagal hai, bahar nikalo isko.' I told him to think about it, as he is forcing Govinda out of his office."
In the same interaction with Mukesh Khanna on his YouTube channel, Bheeshm International, the actor, Govinda, shared about his close bond with BR Chopra's daughter-in-law. He revealed that he would often visit their home and help his son, Ravi Chopra's wife, Renu Chopra, with household chores. He stated:
"Mein unke ghar mein jakar kaam vam karta tha. Renu bhabhi would call me, 'Chichi beta aaja ghar par. 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 (Prakash Chopra) loved me a lot. He was not aware of that."
Click here to watch the interview.
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