On Govinda's 61st birthday on December 21, some nuggets about the actor who was once Hero No 1.
Born Govind Arun Ahuja, his parents were also in show business -- his father Aroon was an actor; his mother Nirmala Devi a singer and actress.
Govinda -- who was nicknamed 'Chi Chi' by his family -- was born in a chawl in Virar, a township north of Bombay where his parents were compelled to move from a bungalow on Carter Road in affluent Bandra after Sehra, a film his father produced, flopped.
Govinda's father Aroon, Wikipedia informs us, 'was discovered in Lahore where Director Mehboob Khan was on a search for newcomers.' Aroon made his debut in the 1939 film Ek Hi Raasta and acted in more than 30 movies through the 1940s and early 1950s.
His most celebrated role was in Mehboob Khan's Aurat. He acted with his wife Nirmala Devi in several films -- Savera (1942), Chalis Karod (1946) and Ghunghat (1946) among others.
He died in 1998 aged 71, at a time when his son was at the height of his career.
Before he got his break in Tan Badan, a 1986 film directed by Nirmala Devi's brother Anand Singh, Govinda auditioned for the role of Abhimanyu in B R Chopra's television serial, Mahabharata, but didn't get the role.
Govinda's first release was Ilzaam, his second Love 86; both were hits and the actor was on his way before Tan-Badan opened in theatres.
From Ilzam and Love 86, Govinda and Neelam acted in 14 films from 1986 to 1989 including Sindoor (1987), Khudgarz (1987), Hatya (1988), Do Qaidi (1989), Billoo Baadshah (1989), Taaqatwar (1989), Gharana (1989), Farz Ki Jung (1989) among others.
Govinda reportedly fell in love with Neelam and broke off his engagement to Sunita Singh -- whose brother-in-law Anand Singh was Govinda's maternal uncle and directed Tan Badan -- to marry her.
In an interview to Stardust magazine, he said if Sunita had not called and coaxed him, he would have married Neelam.
Govinda had a reputation for turning up very late for shoots -- sometimes cited as the reason for the decline in his career fortunes.
Though he has acted in over 50 films, his personal favourites are Hatya, directed by his brother Kirti Kumar, and David Dhawan's Swarg.
Govinda's mother Nirmala Devi was a classical singer and the actor has sung in a few of his films too. In 1998, he released an album Govinda along with sister Kamini Khanna, actress Ragini Khanna's mom.
Govinda's superhit jodi with David Dhawan began with 1992's Shola Aur Shabnam and they worked on 17 films together including Saajan Chale Sasural, Deewana Mastana, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Swarg, Hero No 1, Raja Babu among others.
Actor and director apparently had a fallout after their last film Partner, but reportedly reconciled last year.