page_title: Govinda (actor)
section_title: 2006–09: Comeback
hierarchical_section_title: Govinda (actor) / Timeline of acting career / 2006–09: Comeback
caption_attribution_description: English: Govinda with Amrita Rao at Life Partner success party
context_page_description: Govind Arun Ahuja, known mononymously as Govinda, is an Indian film actor, comedian, dancer, and former politician, known best for his work in Hindi-language films.
  Famous for his slapstick performances and dancing skills, Govinda is considered a mass entertainer and a greatly successful actor in Bollywood. As such, Govinda has received 12 Filmfare Award nominations, a Filmfare Special Award, a Filmfare Award for Best Comedian, and 4 Zee Cine Awards. 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 a BBC News Online poll.
  Starting out as an action and dancing hero in the 1980s, his earlier box-office hits include Ilzaam, Love 86, Hatya, Jeete Hain Shaan Se, and Hum. 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, Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Andolan, Hero No. 1, Deewana Mastana, Dulhe Raja, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Anari No.1 and Jodi No. 1.
context_section_description: Govinda made a comeback to films in late 2006 with the comedy Bhagam Bhag (directed by Priyadarshan), in which he appeared with Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta. It was Govinda and Kumar's first film together.
  His first release of 2007 was director Nikhil Advani's big-budget drama, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love. The all-star cast also included Shannon Esra, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Akshaye Khanna, Ayesha Takia, John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Sohail Khan and Isha Koppikar. Govinda played Raju, a taxi driver who helps the Caucasian Stephanie (Shannon Esra) who is frantically trying to find her lover. Raju eventually falls in love with her. Although the film was a box office disappointment, Govinda's performance was praised.
  His second release that year was a comedy directed by David Dhawan Partner co-starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Lara Dutta. The film grossed ₹300,000,000 in India during its opening week, the second-highest domestic opening-week gross for an Indian film at that time. Govinda won several awards for his performance in Partner including an IIFA Best Comedian Award and a Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male. The previously-made Jahan Jaaeyega Hamen Paaeyega was directed by his nephew Janmendra alias Dumpy, who was 17 years of age at that time. Jahan Jaaeyega Hamen Paaeyega released in 2007 and did poorly at the box office. The film also introduced two of Govinda's nephews, Krishna Abhishek and Vinay Anand. Govinda also appeared in the song "Deewangi Deewangi", from Om Shanti Om starring ShahRukh Khan.
  In 2008 Govinda appeared in Money Hai Toh Honey Hai, directed by Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Acharya, which was a box office failure. This was followed by a TK Rajeev Kumar directed comedy, Chal Chala Chal. Govinda's performance was praised, and the film was successful. That year Salman Khan invited Dhawan and Govinda on his show, 10 Ka Dum, to celebrate the success of Partner.
  The following year he played a lawyer in the hit, Life Partner, and his performance was praised by the critics. Govinda rejoined Dhawan and Vashu Bhagnani for Do Knot Disturb; despite good reviews from critics, it was unsuccessful at the box office.
caption: Govinda with Amrita Rao at a Life Partner party
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