Shehzad Khan, known for his supporting role in the 1998 comedy Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, recently opened up about his experience working with Govinda and the actor’s notorious habit of being late to film sets. In a candid reflection, Khan recalled an incident that unfolded at Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City, where Govinda, fondly known as Chi Chi, asked director David Dhawan for permission to leave briefly—to pick up his wife from the airport. The request seemed harmless at the time, but what followed left the crew stunned.
“I have a lot of stories,” Shehzad said in an interview, smiling at the memory. “We were shooting at Ramoji one day, and Chi Chi asked David Dhawan if he could go and receive his wife at the airport. The airport is a little while away from the studio, and David ji gave him permission to go, but told him to return immediately. He left, but didn’t return. In the evening, David ji received a call from him saying that he was in Mumbai. He said that he’d return the following day.” However, Govinda didn’t come back the next day either. He returned after four full days. “You have to hand it to David saab,” Shehzad added. “He knew how to work around these hiccups. The shoot didn’t stop at all, even though Govinda wasn’t there.”
This wasn’t the first time that someone has spoken about Govinda’s habit of arriving late. Director Anees Bazmee also shared a similar experience in a past interview. He joked about how he had learned to work around the actor’s schedule. “It isn’t news or a shock to me that Govinda will come late. I will get a shock if he comes on time, and he doesn’t give me those kinds of shocks. So, since I know that he will come at 12 pm for a 9 am shoot, I complete other tasks by then so that I don’t waste my time. Tuning with the actor is very important.”
Govinda himself has addressed the issue, attributing his tardiness to the demands of being a star at his peak. He once explained that, like musicians who need time to prepare before a concert, he needed time to get into the zone before shooting. During the height of his career, he worked on an astonishing 49 films at once, a pace that left him physically and mentally drained. Veteran actor Dilip Kumar had even advised him to slow down and prioritize his health.
Though Govinda’s unpredictable schedules may have tested the patience of many, filmmakers and co-stars alike seemed to find a way to work around his rhythm—often relying on flexibility and good humour to keep productions on track.
