Neelam Kothari and Govinda were one of the most popular on-screen pairs during the 19080s and 90s. Govinda made his Bollywood debut in ‘Love 86’ opposite Neelam. In a recent conversation, Neelam shared nostalgic memories of her early days with Govinda, touching on their first meeting and their shared journey as co-stars.
Neelam recalls first meeting with Govinda
Recalling their first encounter on the sets of ‘Ilzaam’, Neelam told Radio Nasha, “He came and said hello to me and started speaking to me in Hindi. So, I was like, ‘ok, there’s going to be a little bit of a problem here,’ because I would only speak in English and he, only in Hindi.”
Despite the language difference, their mutual love for dance created a unique bond between them. “It was very funny seeing both of us interacting. He used to speak in Hindi, I used to speak in English, and somehow it was fine. He understood what I was saying and I understood what he was saying,” Neelam shared.
Neelam on working with Govinda
Their contrasting personalities and dance styles only added to the excitement of working together. Neelam explained, “When it came to our dance steps, when it came to our songs, we were very competitive. Who’s doing it better?” She described their spirited approach to dancing, saying, “I wanted to do better than him, he wanted to do better than me.”
This dynamic energy, where Govinda’s Bollywood flair met Neelam’s classical ballet influence, proved a hit with audiences. “The combination worked. The audiences loved it.”
Neelam remembers shooting the hit song 'Aap Ke Aa Jaane Se'
Their song “Aap Ke Aa Jaane Se” from the movie ‘Khudgarz’, is a hit even now. Neelam fondly remembered the fast-paced shooting schedule, revealing, “You’ll not believe it, but we shot that song in one-and-a-half days, that’s it. We never imagined that this song would become such a huge sensation.”
The pairing of Neelam and Govinda resulted in a string of successful films, including ‘Love 86’, ‘Khudgarz’, and ‘Ghar Ka Chiraag’.