Actors Govinda and Chunky Panday gained popularity in an era when Hindi cinema thrived on being unapologetically “extra”. Bursting onto the scene in the late ’80s, both actors embodied excess — in their flamboyant style, colourful wardrobes, slapstick comedy and delightfully over-the-top performances.
So, when actors Govinda and Chunky — former co-stars, competitors, and friends — took the guest couch on Prime Video’s ‘Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle’, it was evident that they were the OGs of ‘too much’ much before this expression gained currency. They needed little prompting to revisit the chaos and charm of the ’90s. Their effortless chemistry brought a spark to the show’s fourth episode — a welcome change after the last two, featuring Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan, and Saif Ali Khan with Akshay Kumar, which hadn’t quite hit the same high.
Despite their similarities, Govinda and Chunky came from vastly different worlds. Govinda, who went on to become one of the most sought-after and bankable stars of the ’90s, grew up in the slums of Virar, located nearly two hours away from Mumbai. Chunky, who calls himself “nepotism ki aulad” (a nepo baby), is a bona fide Bandra boy. His father was a heart surgeon, and his mother, a go-to physician for Bollywood stars. That’s how he first met Twinkle Khanna, when she was a toddler running around her grandparents’ home in diapers.
Yet, the paths of Govinda and Chunky crossed in the most unexpected ways. When Govinda couldn’t make time to star in Aag Hi Aag (1987), Chunky landed the role after a chance encounter with producer Pahlaj Nihalani in a washroom. By then, Govinda, who debuted with Love 86 (1986), had consolidated his popularity with Ilzaam (1986). Known for his self-deprecating humour, Chunky jokes that he was a ‘MBBF’ (Metric Mein Baar Baar Fail) before eventually graduating to ‘PHSWD’ (Passed High School With Difficulty). He was looking for acting jobs for a few years before he bagged his first film for which he credits Govinda’s unavailability.
Before Govinda became an actor, his talents, by his admission, included catching snakes and thieves. He honed his dancing skills later, driven by trepidation after watching Javed Jaffrey’s moves in Meri Jung (1985) and being told that he has to dance like the latter to succeed. Though he trained under Saroj Khan, it was choreographer Kamal who taught him to let the lyrics guide his movements and expressions. This, eventually, helped him develop the signature ‘Govinda style’.
What makes this conversation with the two yesteryear stars so entertaining are their candid confessions, wild stories, and fascinating insights into the world of 1990s cinema. When teased about his bare-bodied photos, Chunky quipped that in the pre-social-media era, the only way for actors to land a magazine cover was either to shed their clothes or become fodder for gossip.
Apart from films, stage shows were another source of income for actors. But for these actors, they were a source crazy experiences too. Chunky once performed at a ‘Govinda Night’ where the star himself was absent. Govinda travelled all the way to Chicago for a show on Chunky’s insistence — only to discover that the latter had changed his mind. With his trademark cheekiness, Chunky quipped, “You are an icon, and I am a con.”
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The zaniest story, of course, comes from Aankhen (1993). Their co-star — a monkey, who weighed around 60 kilos — was often drunk, missing cues, and occasionally landing on Govinda. While Govinda claims they were never paid for the film, the monkey apparently earned a good remuneration and even had an entourage.
Another crazy tale involves Chunky’s unexpected rise to stardom in Bangladesh. While en route to Hong Kong, his flight made an emergency landing in Dhaka due to a technical glitch. At the airport, he met a producer who offered him a film. His first Bangladeshi movie, Swami Keno Ashami (1995), went on to become a major success, establishing Chunky as a major star and a distributor there.
Of all the guests that Twinkle and Kajol have hosted so far, these two actors needed hardly any prodding to bring out their quirky sides and regale us with their hilarious, at times bizarre, experiences. This episode was a throwback to all the massy and messy things that the 90s cinema represented.
