Producer and former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has shed light on actor Govinda’s viral claims that he was offered James Cameron’s global blockbuster Avatar, but he politely turned the film down. Nihalni has revealed that Avatar was a Hindi film he was mounting with Govinda, which was left unfinished as the actor would “faint” while filming and slowly withdrew from the project.
Nihalani laughed as he recalled how Govinda had confidently claimed that he turned down Cameron’s ambitious project and added that the actor confused his own unfinished Hindi film with that of the Hollywood blockbuster.
In an interview with Aap Ki Adalat, Govinda had revealed he not only turned down Cameron’s film but was also the one who had suggested the title ‘Avatar’ to the filmmaker. One of the reasons why he rejected the film, Govinda had claimed, was because he was required to shoot for over 400 days using body paint, which he was completely against.
In an interview with Friday Talkies, Pahlaj Nihalani spilled beans on the confusion over Avatar and said, “I had made a film called Avatar with him. I had filmed 40 minutes of it, which I consider one of my best films, but it got canned. Woh Avatar title se pata nahi uske dimaag mein kya aaya, baad mein claim karta raha ki main waha (Hollywood) ki Avatar kar raha hoon. Uske dimaag ka disc ghum gaya aur language Hindi se English mein chala gaya (I don’t know what happened to him, but he started claiming that he was offered the Hollywood Avatar).
“He said he was offered that Avatar and forgot that it was actually Pahlaj Nihalani’s Avatar. So that was the big tragedy that happened. He said let’s put this on hold, do something else.”
Nihalani revealed that he had bought the remake rights of a K Balachander-directed Rajinikanth film, where he was in double role. The director-producer said strange things started to happen when they were filming it, such as Govinda claiming that he is fainting.
“We tried to make the film in one schedule but last minute I don’t know what almonds he ate with tea that he started fainting and us din ke baad se uska dimaag theek nahi raha. He started talking nonsense and the schedule kept getting pushed. Some songs were remaining and some portions of the climax, but he didn’t shoot at all. Shot would be ready, he would wake up, but then he is fainting. Pata nahi badaam mein kya tha, suspense hai aaj tak,” he laughed.
Govinda had previously worked in Pahlaj Nihalni backed films like Shola Aur Shabhnam and Aankhen. He was also seen in Nihalani’s 2019 production Rangeela Raja, which was the last time the actor was seen on the big screen.
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