Govinda recalls arriving at 4 am for ‘Raavan’ shoot, reveals Mani Ratnam’s hilarious dig on his punctuality: ‘Doesn’t look good when he’s on time’

Govinda has revisited his experience of working with Mani Ratnam in the 2010 film ‘Raavan’, revealing a humorous exchange with the acclaimed filmmaker over his punctuality. The actor recalled reaching the sets as early as 3 or 4 am, expecting his dedication to earn praise, only to receive a playful dig from Ratnam. Govinda also revealed that his wife Sunita Ahuja encouraged him to take on the unconventional role in the film.

How Sunita Ahuja pushed Govinda towards ‘Raavan’

In an interview with ANI, Govinda addressed long-standing accusations that he stuck to a fixed formula and avoided experimenting with different kinds of films. Govinda revealed that his wife, Sunita Ahuja, had often called him out for this tendency. He said, “Sunita used to accuse me too, saying, ‘You are very stubborn. You don’t do such movies.’ I told her, ‘You make me do it.’ Then she made me do ‘Raavan’. I did a small part in it.“The film, directed by Mani Ratnam, starred Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vikram in lead roles, with Govinda, Nikhil Dwivedi, Ravi Kishan and Priyamani in pivotal parts.

Mani Ratnam’s cheeky comment on Govinda’s punctuality

Talking about his time on set, Govinda shared that he made it a point to arrive extremely early every day. He said, “On that set, I used to reach at 3 or 4 in the morning. And I started thinking that maybe I would be praised for it. But I wasn’t.”He then recalled how Mani Ratnam eventually acknowledged his dedication, though not without a touch of humour. Govinda said, “Mani Ratnam once openly said, ‘He used to come to the set at 4 in the morning. Nobody even told him to come that early, but he did. Anyway, Govinda doesn’t look good when he’s on time.’”

Govinda’s comeback with Roopa

On the professional front, Govinda is currently busy promoting his upcoming film ‘Roopa’, which also stars Komal Rani Swarnkar. The project marks his return to the big screen after a gap of several years. Govinda made his acting debut with ‘Ilzaam’ in 1986 and has since gone on to become one of Indian cinema’s most versatile performers. Known for his comic timing, expressive face and effortless dancing style, he has featured in over 165 films spanning genres, from serious dramas like ‘Hatya’ and ‘Aawargi’ to slapstick comedies such as ‘Raja Babu’ and ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’.