Govinda, Indian actor, singer, and politician
Govind Arun Ahuja (born 21 December 1963), known mononymously as Govinda, is an Indian actor, comedian, dancer, and former politician who is known for his work in Hindi-language films.
Govinda is well known for his slapstick performances and dancing skills. As such, Govinda has received 12 Filmfare Award nominations and won two Filmfare Special Awards and a Filmfare Award for Best Comedian. Govinda's first film was 1986's Ilzaam, and has appeared in over 165 Hindi films since. In June 1999, he was voted the tenth-greatest star of stage or screen in last thousand years by BBC News Online poll.Starting out as an action and dancing hero in the 1980s, his earlier box-office hits include Ilzaam (1986), Love 86 (1986), Hatya (1988), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988), Do Qaidi (1989), and Hum (1991). However, Govinda would go on to reinvent himself as a comedy hero in the 1990s after his role as a mischievous young NCC cadet in the 1992 romance Shola Aur Shabnam. Following his comedy debut, Govinda had lead roles in several commercially successful comedy films, including Aankhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Andolan (1995), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Dulhe Raja (1998), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Anari No.1 (1999) and Jodi No. 1 (2001). He would also receive a Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Haseena Maan Jayegi (1999) and a Filmfare Special Award for Saajan Chale Sasural (1996).
In the 2000 film Hadh Kar Di Aapne, he played six roles: Raju and his mother, father, sister, grandmother and grandfather. After a series of several unsuccessful films in the 2000s, his later commercial successes include Bhagam Bhag (2006), Partner (2007), and Holiday (2014). In 2015, Govinda became a judge on Season 2 of Zee TV's dance-contest program, Dance India Dance Super Moms. The show received the highest TRP of any reality-show opening episode.Govinda was a member of the Parliament of India from 2004 to 2009. As part of the Indian National Congress, he was elected the 7th member of parliament for the Mumbai North constituency of Maharashtra, India in the 14th Lok Sabha elections in 2004, defeating Ram Naik of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is currently working on a famous and popular Bengali show on Zee Bangla Dance Bangla Dance 2021, Season 11 as Judge which started airing on 22 May 2021.