Govinda talks about how he guided a struggling Salman Khan through personal pain and pushed him back to fitness right before Partner.
When Govinda and Salman Khan shared screen space in the 2007 comedy movie Partner, the audiences loved their fun chemistry and brilliant timing. Directed by David Dhawan, the film delivered endless laughs, chartbuster songs, and brilliant comic timing. But behind the scenes, Salman was going through a very tough phase in his personal life.
In a recent interview with ANI, Govinda opened up about a deep conversation he had with Salman right before they started shooting, showing how strong their friendship really was.
Govinda revealed that the superstar was dealing with emotional pain and distress, which had caused him to withdraw into himself. Recognizing that his co-star was struggling with personal issues, expectations, and inner turmoil, Govinda decided to step in as a supportive friend. He recalled sitting down with Salman over a drink to have a candid talk, encouraging him to stop looking outward for solutions and instead look within himself to find peace and clarity.
During their conversation, the Hero No.1 actor offered some remarkably honest advice regarding physical fitness and screen presence. Having just stepped out of politics, Govinda candidly mentioned that he weighed 114 kilos at the time and was coming to terms with playing character roles and doing comedy.
He told Salman that while he was meant to be the main leading hero of the film, he did not look like one at that moment because he appeared sad and weighed down. Govinda urged him to shake off the unhappiness, step out of the dark space, and start exercising for two to three hours every single day to regain his energy and charm.
To build Salman’s confidence, Govinda compared his natural aura to legendary actor Dharmendra. He reminded the Bollywood star that God had blessed him with incredible features, a strong personality, a loving family, and the rare ability to command the screen as a true hero.
Govinda urged him to embrace that gift and even predicted that if he focused on himself, he would go on to rule the film industry for another decade. Taking the advice to heart, Salman dedicated himself to fitness and bounced back with full force.
Partner went on to become a major commercial success, and Salman subsequently launched into one of the most successful phases of his career, exactly as Govinda had foreseen.
Besides Salman Khan and Govinda, Partner also featured Katrina Kaif and Lara Dutta in leading roles. Loosely inspired by the Hollywood hit Hitch (2005), the film follows a love guru (Salman) who helps a shy man (Govinda) woo his boss, leading to hilarious chaos and heartfelt lessons in love.
