Mumbai: Veteran actor Anupam Kher has spoken about Govinda’s recent personal-life troubles, saying the actor should not allow his personal circumstances or habits to overshadow his entire life. Kher also praised Govinda as one of the finest actors he has worked with and said he hopes his longtime colleague makes a strong comeback.
Kher made the remarks during a recent conversation with journalist Faridoon Shahryar, amid renewed public attention on Govinda’s marriage to Ssunita and reports surrounding his alleged relationship with actor Rani Swarnkar.
“I am very fond of Govinda. I think he is one of the finest actors that I have worked with. I have done 10-12 films with him. Improvisation, acting, dance – no one can compete with him,” Kher said.
He then offered Govinda some personal advice, saying, “But you should not allow your personal life or your habits to overshadow your entire life.”
Kher says he is not in a position to judge Govinda
Kher said he did not want to pass judgment on Govinda’s personal circumstances and recalled that he had tried to contact the actor.
“I am no one to pass a judgment on him. He knows his life better, and he can deal with it. I called him once and he said he will call me back,” Kher said.
The veteran actor added that he wanted to reassure Govinda that difficult periods eventually pass.
“I wanted to tell him, this too shall pass,” he said.
Drawing on his own four-decade career, Kher said he had experienced both positive and difficult phases in the film industry. According to him, people ultimately tend to remember an artist’s stronger contributions rather than every difficult period in their life.
“Everyone’s life has tragedy. I don’t think the problem is that he doesn’t know how to market himself. I think he has gotten bogged down by his surroundings, by his life, but he hasn’t given up yet, so there is hope,” Kher said.
He added that he hoped Govinda would return to doing more work.
“I pray that he bounces back and does much more work than he is doing,” Kher said.
Govinda’s Lalbaugcha Raja visit draws attention
The latest discussion around Govinda’s personal life intensified after he was seen at Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja pandal with Rani Swarnkar, his co-star in the upcoming film Roopa. The two reportedly sought blessings and participated in the final aarti.
A video from the visit circulated on social media, showing Govinda greeting devotees and fans as he left the venue amid security arrangements.
Govinda had introduced Rani to the media in July as his co-star in Roopa. The two were also recently photographed together at Mumbai airport.
The public appearances have fuelled speculation about their relationship, although Govinda’s manager Shashi Sinha has denied reports that the actor is planning to marry Rani.
Ssunita and Kashmera Shah react
Govinda’s wife Ssunita also visited Lalbaugcha Raja separately, hours before Govinda’s appearance with Rani. She was later seen at Mumbai airport, where she made a remark about loyalty during an interaction with paparazzi.
“Love animals, not humans. Humans are untrustworthy,” she said.
Actor Kashmera Shah, who is married to Govinda’s nephew Krushna Abhishek, also shared a cryptic post on Instagram after Govinda’s appearance with Rani. Without naming anyone, she criticised what she described as the glorification of “homebreakers” and men leaving their wives for younger women.
Krushna Abhishek subsequently liked the post.
The developments have added to the scrutiny surrounding Govinda and Ssunita’s marriage. The couple, who married in 1987, have two children, Tina and Yashvardhan Ahuja.
Kher hopes Govinda focuses on his work
While Govinda’s personal life has recently attracted considerable attention, Kher’s comments focused largely on the actor’s professional abilities and his potential to return to the spotlight through his work.
Kher, who has worked with Govinda in several films, highlighted his ability to improvise, act and dance, while expressing confidence that the actor still has more to offer.
His remarks come at a time when Govinda’s personal life is receiving more attention than his film projects. With Roopa in the pipeline, the actor’s future professional choices are also likely to remain a subject of interest among his fans.
For Kher, however, the emphasis remains on separating an artist’s body of work from the difficulties surrounding his personal life. His message to Govinda was ultimately one of perspective: difficult phases can pass, and a performer with his abilities can still return to the screen with renewed focus.