Was Govinda really always late on set? Priyadarshan reveals the condition he had before casting him in Bhaagam Bhaag

For decades, stories about Govinda arriving late to film sets have circulated widely across Bollywood. The actor's reputation for tardiness became something of an industry legend, often joked about in interviews and sometimes complained about by co-stars and filmmakers. However, filmmaker Priyadarshan recently shared an interesting perspective on the matter, revealing that the reality might have been quite different during one of their most popular collaborations.

Speaking in an interview with Mashable India, the director recalled his experience working with Govinda in the comedy film Bhaagam Bhaag. According to him, despite the actor's reputation, Govinda surprised everyone on set.

Priyadarshan's clear condition before casting Govinda

Priyadarshan admitted that he was initially hesitant to cast Govinda due to the many stories he had heard about the actor's punctuality. But before signing him for the film, the director decided to be completely honest about his concerns. Recalling the moment, Priyadarshan said he directly warned the actor about the rumours. He told Govinda that if he could not arrive on time, it would be better not to take up the project.

The filmmaker later joked that getting Govinda and Salman Khan to show up early for shoots was one of his biggest achievements.

"I got my Padma Shri, and there was this interview where I was asked if this was my biggest achievement. I said no, my biggest achievement is getting Govinda and Salman Khan at 5 am and finishing the film on time," Priyadarshan recalled.

To his surprise, Govinda maintained perfect punctuality during the shoot. The director added that the actor showed up on time every single day and that he genuinely enjoyed working with him.

Improvisation on set created another challenge

While Govinda impressed Priyadarshan with his punctuality, the director did have another small complaint. The actor was known for improvising his dialogues during scenes. Priyadarshan revealed that Govinda would often add his own lines while performing. While improvisation can sometimes enhance comedy, the director preferred sticking to the script.

He joked that he had already hired writer Neeraj Vohra, so he did not need another writer on set.

Old stories about Govinda's delays still circulate

Despite this positive experience, stories about Govinda arriving late have continued to surface over the years. Actor Vijay Patkar once recalled an incident during the shoot of the film Hum, where Govinda allegedly delayed a shot involving Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth for days.

Patkar also shared another anecdote from the shoot of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, claiming that Amitabh Bachchan would sometimes personally drive to Govinda's house to pick him up for the shoot.

Govinda finally responds to the punctuality debate

Over time, Govinda himself addressed these stories. During an appearance on Too Much with Twinkle Khanna, the actor offered his own explanation for the delays. He said, "Mai defame huwa hu ki mai time pe nahi aata hu. Maine kaha 'kiske baap ke andar taaqat hai ki woh 5 shift kare aur time pe aaye. Possible hi nahi hai, ho hi nahi sakta. Itni zyada shooting kaise karega aadmi? Yaha toh ek picture ke andar thak jate hai log."

According to Govinda, the rumours were often exaggerated. He explained that actors sometimes juggle multiple shifts in a day, and delays can happen due to scheduling conflicts, traffic, or other production issues.

The actor also emphasised that people should consider the professional pressures actors face before forming judgments based solely on gossip.

Meanwhile, Priyadarshan is currently gearing up for his next project, the upcoming film Bhooth Bangla starring Akshay Kumar, which is expected to mark another collaboration between the filmmaker and the actor.