Govinda's Turbulent Journey: From Love Marriage to Near-Split with Sunita
Bollywood's beloved actor Govinda entered into matrimony with Sunita in the year 1987, following a courtship that spanned several years. Their union was a classic love marriage that blossomed during Govinda's early days in the film industry, when he was still navigating the challenges of establishing himself as an actor. As his professional trajectory soared and he ascended to stardom, the dynamics within his personal life began to experience significant strain and complexity.
The Neelam Chapter: A Popular On-Screen Pair Turns Personal
During the zenith of his cinematic success, Govinda developed deep romantic feelings for actress Neelam, with whom he shared an immensely popular and celebrated on-screen chemistry. The duo collaborated in multiple successful films including 'Khudgarz' and 'Love 86', with their pairing becoming a favorite among audiences across the nation. At one critical juncture, Govinda came remarkably close to terminating his engagement with Sunita and gave serious consideration to marrying Neelam instead.
Ultimately, he decided to reconcile with Sunita and made the conscious choice to keep their marriage concealed from the public eye for almost an entire year. Reflecting on this tumultuous period during an interview with Stardust magazine, Govinda offered a remarkably candid admission.
Govinda's Candid Revelations About the Love Triangle
"After I started getting busier, my relationship with Sunita went through a change," Govinda confessed. "She began feeling insecure and jealous. And I was of no help. She would nag me and I would lose my temper. We had constant fights. In one of those fights, Sunita said something about Neelam, and I lost my head and called it quits. I asked Sunita to leave me. I broke off my engagement with her. And had Sunita not called me after five days and coaxed me into it again, I would probably have married Neelam."
The actor later expressed remorse for his actions toward Neelam, acknowledging that he had wronged her and still carries regrets about the situation. He admitted that Neelam was kept completely unaware of his marital status during this time.
Professional Exploitation and Personal Regrets
"Neither did Neelam know about it. She got to know only after a year," Govinda revealed. "I probably did not tell her because I did not want to break this successful screen pair. And to be honest, to a certain extent, I did exploit my personal relationship with Neelam for professional ends. I played dirty with her. I should have told her that I was married."
In subsequent interviews, Govinda spoke openly about his desire to marry Neelam while simultaneously honoring his existing commitment to Sunita. He elaborated on this emotional conflict with remarkable transparency.
The Conflict Between Emotion and Duty
"Yes, I wanted to marry her. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that," Govinda explained. "Neelam was the ideal girl, the kind every man visualises for a life-partner. The kind of girl I wanted. But that was getting emotional. There was another practical side. Just because I had fallen in love elsewhere, I couldn't overlook my commitment towards Sunita. If there was no sense of duty in a man, this would go on. Leave one for another and another for another."
Neelam's Recent Denial of Rumors
More recently, actress Neelam addressed persistent rumors about her alleged infatuation with Govinda prior to her marriage to Sameer Soni. During an appearance on Usha Kakade Productions' podcast, when questioned about these longstanding gossip stories, Neelam expressed surprise and offered a firm denial.
"O teri, who said this? Govinda ji bahut hi acchhe insaan hain, magar yeh jo sawaal hai, yeh sach nahi hai," she stated, which translates to "Govinda is a very good human being, but this question is not true."
This revelation from Govinda's past interviews provides a fascinating glimpse into the complex personal lives of Bollywood stars during the industry's golden era, highlighting the difficult choices between professional success, personal desires, and marital commitments that often remain hidden behind the glamorous facade of celebrity life.
