Govinda was the definitive go-to when it came to comic reliefs back in the 90’s.
The energetic actor with a genius in his comic timing and skills created a number of slapstick, thorough entertainers during this period – earning himself the reputation of the genre’s poster-child.
The actor’s collaborations with filmmaker David Dhawan – created some of the most iconic comedies of the 90’s, ranging from Coolie No. 1 to Haseena Maan Jaayegi.
While the style of filmmaking – especially when it comes to these kinds of comedies, has changed a lot in Hindi cinema, Govinda’s classics still serve as a perfect escapade to tickle our funny bones.
Listing down 10 such comedy golds, here are the actor’s 10 best comic flicks:
10) Deewana Mastana
A romantic comedy co-starring Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawala, Johnny Lever, Anupam Kher, Shakti Kapoor and Kader Khan, this Govinda superhit from 1997 was loosely inspired from Hollywood comedy, What About Bob? The comic relief is served by the leading duo’s race and their naughty manoeuvres to get the same girl, with a classic comic performance by Johnny Lever serving as icing on the cake.
9) Kyunki Mein Jhoot Nahi Bolta
Based on Jim Carrey’s ‘Liar Liar’, Govinda plays the role of a lawyer, who now has to live his life telling the absolute brutal truth to people’s faces, after his son makes a wish upon a star, and it comes true. Pure delight to see his world coming upside down, showing the havoc unfiltered truth can bring in people’s lives. Even though ‘Liar Liar’ is incomparable, Govinda has his own flavour to serve for Desi viewers.
8) Saajan Chale Sasural
One of the top 5 superhit flicks of the year 1996, this film featured Govinda two-timing his two wives, by constant white lies and false stories, only to cover-up the major blunder he’s made by marrying again. The movie was a remake of the Telugu movie Allari Mogudu, but an original classic in Govinda’s career.
7) Partner
This one was deemed as a ‘comeback’ for Govinda and co-starred Salman Khan, attempting to fix him up with the girl he’s fallen for. Based on Hollywood’s Will Smith starrer hit film – ‘Hitch’, this David Dhawan directorial proved yet again – that Govinda could pull off the genre even with changing trends in films by the late 2000’s.
6) Raja Babu
Classic Govinda at his best, delivering his “quirky village boy” character to life. Directed by David Dhawan and a remake of Tamil comedy movie Raasukutti, this comic-relief with it’s iconic dance sequences, offers bundles of comic-relief scenes, featuring it’s cast, which include – Karishma Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Kadar Khan, Aruna Irani, Prem Chopra and Gulshan Grover. Don’t miss it, if you’re an avid Govinda fan!
5) Bhagam Bhag
Priyadarshan’s crazy min curates yet another world, where so much is happening with it’s characters, all at once. Govinda’s fellow members of a drama company, get embroiled into a major trouble involving gangsters, police and a murder. A suspenseful, funny tale to tickle your funny bone on a Sunday morning.
4) Hero No. 1
A rich man’s spoilt son transforms into a servant to sneak into the house of his girl, to please and develop a bond with her family. If this isn’t a classic, masala, potboiler plot of old Bollywood, we don’t know what is. An entertaining plot, filled with several classic comedy moments.
3) Coolie No. 1
Govinda pulls of a double-role, only to fool his rich father-in-law, after marrying the latter’s daughter telling a bunch of lies. How those lies eventually come back to hilariously bite him, is shown in this David Dhawan classic, also starring Karishma Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor, Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. A thorough entertainer.
2) Dulhe Raja
A hilarious film featuring Govinda’s character – a ‘dhaba wala’, trying his best to not only sustain his business in the premises of a wealthy hotelier, but also managing to seduce his daughter in the process. The super-funny spats between him and Kader Khan, don’t get old – no matter how many times you hear them.
1) Haseena Maan Jaayegi
This classic comedy directed by David Dhawan, featured a number of hilarious characters, ranging from Kader Khan, Satish Kaushik, Paresh Rawal, Anupam Kher to none other than – Govinda himself. With Sanjay Dutt playing to the role of his brother and two continuously creating troubles for their poor dad with their regular shenanigans, the movie serves as a perfect escapade to the senseless, but thoroughly entertaining world of 90’s masala Bollywood.
Here are a few Honourable mentions that didn’t make to our top 10, but can certainly tickle your funny bone:
Bade Miyaan Chhote Miyaan
Sandwich
Banarasi Babu
Hadd Kar Di Aapne