For audiences, Govinda’s films of the 1990s were effortless fun. Songs, jokes and friendships flowed easily on screen. Behind the scenes, though, that ease often came at a cost. Govinda’s chronic habit
of turning up late had begun to strain working relationships, frustrate co-stars and, in some cases, derail entire shooting schedules. One such moment, involving Sanjay Dutt, remains one of the most talked-about off-screen stories from that era. Hits, Friendships and a Growing Problem At his peak in the 1990s and early 2000s, Govinda delivered hit after hit. His long partnership with Kader Khan resulted in some of Hindi cinema’s most loved comedies, including Aankhen, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Hero No. 1 and Dulhe Raja. Around the same time, Govinda’s films with Sanjay Dutt —Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Jodi No. 1 and Ek Aur Ek Gyarah — gave audiences humour rooted in warmth and male bonding. On screen, the chemistry felt natural. Off screen, repeated delays were beginning to test patience. The Day Sanjay Dutt Lost His Cool Years later, actor Rajat Bedi revisited one particularly tense incident from the sets of Jodi No. 1. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, Rajat described how a long wait turned into an explosive situation. “He had taken on too much work. In Jodi No. 1, David was supposed to start shooting at 7 am but Sanjay Dutt and I were there at 6 in the morning for some reason,” Rajat recalled. Hours passed, but Govinda did not arrive. Director David Dhawan sent someone to Govinda’s house, only to discover that he was not even there. By then, the unit had already waited most of the day. Govinda Arrived Nine Hours Late As frustration mounted, Rajat said Sanjay Dutt began to lose his temper. “By the time it was 2 pm, Sanjay was freaking out,” he said, imitating Sanjay abusing Govinda. It later turned out that Govinda had another commitment in Hyderabad and was flying directly to the set. He finally arrived around 3 pm, keeping the cast and crew waiting for nearly nine hours. “In those days, nobody would know where he was because at that time, he would do 4-5 shifts,” Rajat recalled. The Scene That Changed on the Spot The tension didn’t end with Govinda’s arrival. Rajat revealed that Sanjay Dutt was handed a much heavier set of dialogues than Govinda, which only added to the anger. “Sanju started abusing the assistant and told him, you give these lines to Govinda, I will not do this. So the whole scene changed on the spot,” Rajat shared.
