Govinda and Salman Khan’s friendship stretches back more than four decades, with their bond extending beyond their work together in the 2007 comedy ‘Partner’. Govinda also stood by Salman during the actor’s early years, when he was navigating a particularly difficult phase in his personal and professional life.Govinda opened up about a conversation he had with Salman before they began shooting for ‘Partner’. Recalling the state of mind Salman was in at the time, the veteran actor said, “Salman was going through a lot of pain and distress. And when someone is troubled by himself, whether it is because of love, hopes, or expectations, there is no one else who can really cure that. So, he had become very withdrawn. I thought I should introduce him to satya (truth), so we sat together and had a drink. While we were drinking, I told him, ‘Salman, you’ve looked outward enough. Now look within yourself’,” he shared in an interview with ANIGovinda then recalled how he used his own physical transformation as an example while speaking to Salman. At the time, he said he weighed 114 kilos after stepping away from politics.“At that time, I weighed 114 kilos. It was the time when I had just come out of politics. I told him, ‘By the time I lose weight, I’ll already be a character actor, right? I’ll continue doing the kind of roles I was doing in Partner, I was doing comedy’. I told him, ‘You are the hero, but you don’t look like one right now. You look unhappy, you look sad. Come out of this’,” he added.Govinda also encouraged Salman to dedicate time to fitness and suggested that regular exercise could help him regain his confidence and screen presence. Drawing a comparison with veteran star Dharmendra, he said, “I said, ‘Exercise for two or three hours a day. Look at Dharmendra. You are the only hero, after Dharmendra, who has been blessed by God with parents, siblings, a good face and a great personality. You are the only guy who could carry that kind of aura, the kind that makes people look at you and say, ‘That’s a hero’,” he said.According to Govinda, Salman took the advice seriously and went on to build the successful career that followed. Reflecting on how things eventually worked out, he said, “He did it. He could do it, and that’s a blessing. I told him that he would rule for 10 years and he did,” Govinda concluded.Salman and Govinda eventually shared the screen in ‘Partner’, which was directed by David Dhawan. Released in 2007, the comedy also starred Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif in key roles.