Govinda and director David Dhawan, once Bollywood’s most iconic actor-director duo, saw their relationship strained in the early 2010s, leading to a prolonged period of silence. While the two reconciled last year, delighting fans and sparking hope for future collaborations, their fallout remains one of the most talked-about in Bollywood. Recently, Govinda’s daughter, Tina Ahuja, shared her perspective on the impact of their strained ties on her Bollywood debut and career trajectory.
Tina Ahuja made her acting debut with the romantic comedy Second Hand Husband (2015), but her career didn’t gain the momentum many anticipated. In a candid interview, Tina dismissed the notion that her father or Dhawan owed her a career boost, emphasizing self-reliance.“Interesting, but honestly, I felt like — why should they? No one has taken on the responsibility of giving me a break. And why should they? If they felt there was something right for me, they would have done it. It’s not about that,” Tina explained.Tina highlighted her belief in forging her own path, attributing this mindset to her father, Govinda. She said, “What I feel is that you cannot be dependent on others all the time. I’ve never thought, ‘Oh, they should have launched me.’ No, I mean, kisine mera thekha nahi lekar rakha hai (nobody has taken my contract). At any given time, I just do what I feel is the best for me. That’s what I’ve learned from my dad — never be dependent on anybody.”
Tina added that self-reliance and resilience are key to surviving in the industry: “You cannot be a cranky child at all.
”Despite the challenges, Tina continues to focus on her career, choosing projects she feels passionate about.
