Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 22, 2017)

In an interview to mid-day in February, Govinda had rued how his close friend director David Dhawan had betrayed him during his dark days. “David didn’t stand by me in bad times. I stood by him when he was down and out.”

The actor had also said that Dhawan had refused to work with him. “He told my secretary that if there was a small role in a film, he may approach me. ‘Govinda asks a lot of unnecessary questions, I don’t wish to work with him,’ he told my secretary. I was taken aback.” The actor’s confession had signaled a bitter end to a deep friendship that went beyond films and box-office hits.

So, it came as a surprise when Dhawan recently stated that he was open to working with Govinda — the actor’s bitter remarks notwithstanding. At the trailer launch of his upcoming film Judwaa 2, when the director was asked about teaming up with his favourite star again, he said, “Why not? Govinda is different."

The two were a force to reckon with in the '90s, having collaborated on as many as 17 films together. In fact, the two had delivered six consecutive hits at the box-office between 1990 and 1996. Aware of how their comic capers were huge box-office draws, the director further said, "We've created history together."

Talking about working with his son Varun again, the director beamed, “I have worked with a lot of actors, but now, I am working with my son and I can’t be happier.”