"I was left with no work for two years.¡±
Veteran actor Govind Namdev has been a part of the entertainment industry for over three decades. He featured in some of the most successful films including Sarfaroz, Prem Granth, Bandit Queen, Satya and most recently OMG 2. Even with such a vibrant career, did you know he suffered a halt?
After Shola Aur Shabnam, Namdev was told by a fellow actor that he'll surely be typecasted as a police officer for further days in the industry. ¡°This film came, it went well, my work got a lot of appreciation and I got a lot of praise. And then, that's what happened. Everyone started calling me for the role of an inspector.¡±
¡°I politely refused everyone and kept refusing. People started to think that I am very egoistic. He is even refusing to work with senior producers and directors. And then they slowly stopped calling me. They stopped calling me and even started behaving a little rudely just because I was not willing to get typecast."
Govind later picked up his career by a TV show and was refounded by RK studio making Prem Granth his comeback to rule stint.
Coming back to OMG 2, then this Amit Rai directorial is currently running in the theatres and earning a lot of praise across the country. The film revolves around the subject of sex education and the consequences one can face with a lack of it. Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam and Akshay Kumar in pivotal roles, the film has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark at the box office.
From actors to audiences, everyone is demanding a reconsideration of the certificate because it is being separated from the subject's target audience. Govind Namdev has echoed the same.
He opened up on being upset with OMG 2's odd certification and shared that as the world is changing, we must also evolve and change our thoughts. He shared, ¡°You see how our youth is distorted, especially concerning sex education. Teenagers and children do not have guidelines. Parents do not tell them because it is a taboo in our society system.¡±??
Also Read: After CBFC Suggests 27 Cuts In OMG 2, Vivek Agnihotri Says It's Because Of Religious Pressures
¡°The young minds are never really taught what is right and wrong, what is a good touch and what is a bad touch. And because of this ignorance, they are being exploited. In our education system, there is no proper arrangement to guide them. What should one do and not do? This is the answer to your question or anything related to sex.¡±
We asked if Govind feels the film is being separated from the target audience, he nodded in strong agreement.
We specifically made the film for a certain age group of children and the CBFC passed it. Passing means that the film should reach the target audience. Otherwise, the purpose of passing ends. It costs crores of rupees to make a film. So much money and time. If its purpose is not fulfilled, then this is a big shortcoming.¡±
¡°I think this is a shortcoming that should be eliminated.¡±
On the greener side, OMG 2 is receiving a great response from people who have watched it.
Asked about the appreciation he is earning, Govind told us, ¡°I am feeling very good. Every actor wants to be seen by more and more people so that his work is appreciated and he does a good job. And that is happening, so it is a matter of great joy for me.¡±
Reflecting on the same, Namdev said that it's high time that CBFC should evolve.?¡°Everybody involved must put extra thought because such strong subjects come up in front of us very rarely. Be it Bandit or OMG, what are we offering to society? What message is going to be conveyed to that society? What purpose is this film made for? What are the intentions behind making this film? CBFC needs to do a deep discussion over the same because they are seen as a responsible body.¡±
When asked about the boycott calls around OMG 2 on religious grounds, Govind in his defence said that the film hurts 0% of any such sentiments.
Govind has given over 30 years to the entertainment industry and we asked him if he is satisfied with the kind of work he has done. He shared, ¡°I am not dissatisfied with it nor I am completely satisfied with it. I believe that there are still many things that I can contribute to this field of acting. There are many things that I have understood in the last two or three years about acting. I have grown a lot of maturity.¡±
Govind further shared that he feels happy when people remember him for the work he has done for years.
We asked Govind who is a NSD graduate that which medium of content delivery he likes the most. He replied by saying, "I enjoy them both. But in terms of documentation and reach, movies go a long way."
He revealed, ¡°Sometimes it happened that they explained to me the role, the date of the shoot was given and we reached the shooting. The first-day shooting was not done and I was told that we will see tomorrow. Then they didn't shoot for two days. Finally, I was told that the director's decisions have changed and the role you were playing has been given to another actor.¡±
¡°We will think of a better role for you and you can go home now. It happened a couple of times. It was new at the time, so it was a shock.¡±
During our conversation, Govind shared what he loved about his OMG 2 co-star Akshay Kumar.
¡°He is very disciplined. Even after so many years in the film industry, he has been extremely disciplined all the way. This is such an inspirational and motivational thing. And this is after being successful, imagine his struggles before making it big. Kumar proved that if your dedication and hard work are with you, you can achieve any goal very easily.¡±
Govind will be next seen in Meghna Gulzar's Sam Bahadur which is a biopic of Late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
Namdev plays the role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in this film and said that he hopes people will love the film. Govind told us, ¡°I am very happy to work with Meghna Gulzar. Whenever there were good shots, she made sure to applaud and appreciate me. And if a director like Meghna ji appreciates work among everyone, then for me, it is a great honour.¡±
After this Vicky Kaushal-led film, Govind will be seen in Siddharth Roy Kapur's 'Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan' featuring Taapsee Pannu and Pratik Gandhi. Up next, Namdev will be seen in Vijay Sethupathi, Arvind Swamy and Aditi Rao Hydari starrer 'Gandhi Talks' and Arjun Rampal starrer period drama 'The Battle Of Bhima Koregaon'.
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