Govind Namdev, Prabhudheva were not on same page during Wanted shoot: Wondered if I will be able to work with him

Govind Namdev two new films Aazam and Chidiyakhana and revisits memories of working on Salman Khan’s Wanted.

Veteran actor Govind Namdev has a 32-year-long career to look back on with a very long list of films: from Saaransh, Virasat, Kachche Dhaage to Oh My God, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 to count a few. The actor still continues to work with the same enthusiasm, making sure each of his characters has a certain connection with a real person and looks as believable as possible. He is now back with two films, Aazam and Chidiyakhana. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Govind talks about his films, old and new, and also the ones he thought would get him an award but didn’t

Govind Namdev on not getting film awards

On the topic of recognition for his wide variety of performances in umpteen films, the senior actor says, “Kuch haatho ki lakeero mein award nahi likhe hote hain (there are no awards in destiny of some), no matter how hard you work (laughs). My earlier films, the characters I played in Virasat, Sarfarosh, Kachche Dhaage, Oh My God – I felt they will get something for sure. There were nominations for films like Satya and Prem Granth but I didn’t win. I don’t run behind them, what is in my destiny I will get it.”

Govind Namdev on working in Wanted

While talking about his many memorable characters in hit films, Govind shared a fun fact about the making of Salman Khan-starrer Wanted. The 2009 film was directed by Prabhudheva and had Govind in the role of police commissioner Ashraf Taufiq Khan. Sharing some trivia, he said, “I was very happy and excited to work with Prabhudheva. I was already his fan and never thought anyone could be a better dancer than him. I was blown away by his simplicity and found a lot of attraction in his smile. He has his own way of directing a project – he has a fixed plan for how a character has to be played etc. He wants the actor to follow that specific plan. I add some of my own nuances and discuss the same with the director on sets. I try to match my ideas with the vision of the director, like finding a middle path.”

“On the first day, it didn’t match and I became a bit conscious of how things will work out this way. He wanted a fixed tone of dialogue delivery and my dialogue delivery was different. I was wondering if I will even be able to work with him at all. But till the time we were done, he understood my style of performing and my ideas matched with his vision and things went smooth thereafter,” he added.

Govind Namdev’s new films

Govind is currently seen in the new theatrical release, Aazam. It revolves around the fight to become the heir of a ruling don counting his last days. Aazam refers to the person on the top of the ladder. “What’s different about this is that the director has given it his everything, the screenplay is so beautiful. Every second shot has the director’s presence. It’s a very crisp film and is a one-night story. Jimmy Sheirgill has delivered a very good performance. I play one of the gangsters who wants his son to become the new don. I make a plan to get all the rivals murdered but my plan gets leaked and they kill my son. There are many layers of my character as I am ruthless as a don but I get emotional on losing my son. I usually don’t get satisfaction from most of my characters but I was satisfied with my performance in this one,” he says.

“On the first day, it didn’t match and I became a bit conscious of how things will work out this way. He wanted a fixed tone of dialogue delivery and my dialogue delivery was different. I was wondering if I will even be able to work with him at all. But till the time we were done, he understood my style of performing and my ideas matched with his vision and things went smooth thereafter,” he added.

Apart from Aazam, Govind also saw the release of the film Chidiyakhana, in which he plays a local gangster eyeing a playground of a municipal school. “A team is made to prove that they (kids) are worth something and can save the ground. Parents should support the passion of their kids so that they can make a career out of it, instead of doing a mediocre job,” he says while talking about the film.