Govinda's genre

Anu Kumar

Govinda has given birth to a entirely new genre of film in Bollywood. And that has become such an accepted fact in the industry that producer Tutu Sharma goes as far as to say that in his new movie -- Tere Ishq Mein Pad Gaya Re -- the story doesn't matter. "It is a typical Govinda film," he remarks, as if that explains it all. And actually it does. On the sets of this Preity Zinta and Chi Chi starrer, evidence of general eccentricity that all `Govinda-type' films carry abound. The shooting is yet to start but there is enough happening to catch the eye. So much so that Urmila's make-up man and maid-in-general have abandoned the sets of their film, being shot at another part of Kamalistan, and have taken up view-points here because it is just more fun when Govinda is around. And the zaniest thing on the sets is a long-haired man wearing more Rajasthani chunky jewellery than Ila Arun owns, sporting a kurta, a waistcoat, dhoti and socks along with oversized rosary beads -- all underlined with pointy heeled blackand white polka dot shoes.

Completely comfortable with what he is wearing, Feroze Shakir comes forward and introduces himself as the method behind the madness of Govinda's infamous dress sense. "I am the guy who does all those clothes, like Bade Miya Chote Mian and yes, I always dress like this," he smiles. But then he suddenly rushes away because Govinda, dressed discreetly in all black for once, needs his expert help to become the usual madcap he is playing in the film. Later, very reluctantly, Sharma outlines the story that hold the sitcom jokes in this film together. "It is about this man, Govinda, who impersonates Preity Zinta's fiancee and fools everybody but in the end they all love him so much they take him in." Well, not very original but then `Govinda type' films only need Govinda, not originality.

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