Some stars may not be the proverbial outsiders in Bollywood but they still see a lot of struggle to get their first taste of success. This one superstar is the son of two former actors, one of whom had some success too. Yet, the child was resigned to spend his childhood in poverty and faced unemployment as a young man. It was only cinema that transformed him into a screen icon.
Govinda’s early struggles
Born in 1963 to former actor Aroon and singer-actress Nirmala Devi, Govinda grew up poor. Neither of his parents had been successful in the industry and the family was not very well off. After his father lost everything due to a failed home production, the family moved from their Carter Road bungalow to Virar, where Govinda was born. The actor recalled in an old interview that growing up, he saw that his mother hardly had enough money to buy food, and they would have to borrow ration from grocery store to survive.
In the 1980s, after Govinda completed his graduation in commerce, the youngster tried to land white collar jobs but was unsuccessful. By his own admission, Govinda said that was due to his lack of proficiency in English. Govinda eventually tried his hand in films, auditioning for various projects – including the TV show Mahabharat. He eventually landed the lead role in Love 86, his first film, which was a hit and started his successful career.
Govinda’s successful film career and stardom
Govinda had a string of hits in the late-80s, establishing him as a bankable star. But it was his turn as a comedy star in the 90s that led to him becoming a superstar. With hits like Raja Babu, Coolie No 1, Deewana Mastana, Dulhe Raja, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, and Anari No 1, he became one of the biggest stars in Bollywood. After a series of flops, Govinda found second wind to his career with hits like Bhagam Bhag and Partner in 2006-07. The actor is estimated to be currently worth around Rs 150 crore.
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