Neelam Kothari says she was young and unaware that Govinda was married while they worked together, as she addresses long-standing relationship rumours.
Bollywood actor Neelam Kothari has addressed long-running speculation about her relationship with Govinda, saying she was unaware that her frequent co-star was married during the early years of their careers.
Neelam and Govinda became one of Hindi cinema’s popular screen pairs during the 1980s and early 1990s. Their successful collaborations and on-screen chemistry prompted persistent rumours about an off-screen romance.
Neelam Addresses Relationship Rumours
During a recent Times Now interview, Neelam was asked about Govinda’s previously reported feelings for her. She explained that she was young at the time and learned about his marriage only later.
The actor added that a romantic relationship was never an option because she had strict parents and was concentrating on her career and learning Hindi. A member of her family regularly accompanied her to film shoots because of her young age, she said.
Neelam’s husband, actor Samir Soni, was also present during the conversation. He said he had no reason to dwell on something that may or may not have occurred decades earlier.
Govinda Had Spoken About His Feelings
Govinda had publicly discussed his feelings for Neelam in an interview published in 1990. He said that frequently working together brought them closer and that he became increasingly fond of her.
The actor also acknowledged that Neelam did not initially know about his marriage. Govinda and Sunita Ahuja had married privately in 1987, reportedly keeping the wedding away from public attention because of concerns about its possible effect on his career as a romantic film star.
Neelam and Govinda appeared together in several films, including Ilzaam, Love 86, Khudgarz and Hatya. Neelam later stepped away from acting and established herself as a jewellery designer before returning to the public spotlight through the Netflix reality series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.
Her latest remarks present her side of a story that has remained the subject of Bollywood discussion for decades.
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