Anees Bazmee and Govinda have delivered some of Bollywood’s most memorable entertainers together, including ‘Swarg’, ‘Raja Babu’, ‘Aankhen’ and ‘Sandwich’. Over the years, the filmmaker has often credited Govinda’s impeccable comic timing and instinctive improvisation for elevating his films. In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, Bazmee once again showered praise on the Bollywood superstar and revealed that he hopes to reunite with his longtime friend for another film soon.Speaking about creating the iconic character of ‘Raja Babu’ as a writer, Bazmee revealed that the film, despite being a remake, underwent significant changes during its making. “I will be very honest. ‘Raja Babu’ was a remake, and we changed it a lot. That’s a different part. But the inspiration was there, and I liked the character because he was so innocent and simple,” he admits.The filmmaker added that his writing has always been inspired by the people he meets in his life. He shares, “In my life, I have met a lot of people. I have met politicians, goons, police officers, and lawyers; basically, I like meeting people, and I like talking to them. Every person teaches you something.”When asked how Govinda enhanced his writing through his performances, Bazmee had nothing but admiration for the actor. He praises, “Govinda is a great actor. He does amazing work. Whenever I used to write, he would be happy, but he would also wonder why people couldn’t write better. His style was very good, and his improvisation was excellent.”Bazmee revealed that Govinda would often discuss scenes with him and suggest improvisations, which the filmmaker happily accepted because they genuinely improved the sequence. He divulged, “Sometimes he used to ask me, ‘Should I do this?’ And I used to allow him to make changes because they were actually good. I think if an actor understands writing, letting them improvise is not a bad thing. But if an actor doesn’t have any idea about good writing and still wants to improvise, then I would say no.“Explaining why Govinda stood apart, Bazmee said the actor had an exceptional understanding of storytelling. “Govinda understands writing very well. He is a very good actor. Everyone knows that. He does amazing things. He is so cute and funny that you enjoy watching him. If something is good for the film, then why not?,” he questions.The filmmaker also confirmed that he is keen to collaborate with Govinda once again. Calling the actor a close friend, Bazmee revealed that the two recently discussed the possibility of working together. On being asked whether they would collaborate once again for a film, he reveals, “Yes, of course. We are good friends. Whenever we get a chance, we love to work with each other. I had a party recently, and he told me, ‘Let’s do something.‘ He is a good actor, and we are good friends, so we should work together. I hope this happens soon.”Bazmee and Govinda’s collaborations have produced several fan-favourite entertainers over the years, and the filmmaker’s latest revelation is sure to excite audiences hoping to see the iconic duo reunite on the big screen once again.
