Actors Govinda and Neelam Kothari were one of Bollywood’s most popular on-screen pairs during the 1980s and early 1990s. Their strong chemistry in several hit films won hearts and created a huge fan following. However, it also gave rise to constant rumours about a real-life romance between the two.
Years later, Neelam has finally addressed these long-standing rumours. The veteran actress has clearly stated that there was never any romantic relationship between her and Govinda.
Neelam recently spoke about the speculation during a podcast with Usha Kakade Production. In the conversation, she dismissed the claims and said the stories were not true.
Did Govinda And Neelam Kothari Have An Affair?
Responding to the rumours, Neelam said, “O teri, who said this? Govinda ji bahut ache insaan hain, magar yeh jo sawaal hai, yeh sach nahii hai (Govinda ji is a good human being, but this is not true). He is a wonderful human being, and we have done several hit films. But this is not true. Sorry, sorry, but this isn’t true at all. There’s nothing between us.”
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Neelam explained that working together on multiple films often led to such assumptions. She pointed out that during the 1990s, actors had little control over what was written about them. According to her, link-up rumours were common and almost expected.
Talking about the media culture of that time, Neelam added, “I think link-ups were part of the whole game. There was no one to clarify. They just printed whatever they felt like, and to be honest, I feel like in those days we were scared of the press. Because it was the power of the pen, and it was just part of it. If you did more than 2–3 films together, it was just understood that… you two must be together.”
Govinda’s Admiration For Her
While Neelam has denied any affair, Govinda has earlier spoken about his fondness for her. In an interview with Stardust, the actor openly shared his feelings. He had said, “We had so many films together. We met so often, and the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. She was the kind of woman any man would have lost his heart to. I lost mine.”
Govinda and Neelam worked together in more than a dozen films, becoming a favourite pairing for audiences. Their hit collaborations included Love 86 and Ilzaam (1986), followed by Khudgarz and Sindoor (1987). In 1989, they appeared together in films such as Farz Ki Jung, Billoo Badshah, Taaqatwar, and Gharana.
Meanwhile, Govinda is married to Sunita Ahuja. Recent reports claimed trouble in their marriage, but the duo denied it. Neelam Kothari tied the knot to film and TV actor Samir Soni in 2011. The couple recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary.
