Govind Namdev almost decided to leave NSD and suddenly made his comeback, groomed himself for 10-11 years and entered Bollywood during 90s. It has been 30 years that “OMG” actor Govind Namdev has a consistent place in the film industry which he gained with lots of hard work. Here is the entire struggle of this NSD actor.
You have started reading the legendary personalities when you were in sixth standard. That gave you energy to be someone like other people did going to Delhi. So how did the spirit come to you?
My childhood was electrifying. My childhood decided the future journey back then. Even I got surprised sometimes that how did I think so much in my childhood. I never wanted to a job like my elder brother and that time getting government job was a very big thing. Education, job, marriage, children, life isn’t all about this and I thought this as a child. I didn’t want a life like this. I always wanted to achieve something big which would ultimately make my family proud and so to my residential area and city. Directly- indirectly this impression came from my father to me. My father was a famous wrestler. And every time he used to play, he won the match. And after that triumph, he used to travel that 3 km distance to our home with a rally followed by huge crowd. And I felt that I exactly want something like this in my life. So this inspiration came from him. He used to rehearse for 2 hours every day. Even I went to wrestling arena with my father. I used to do 500 sit-ups at a time. Basically, I adopted hardworking spirit and consistency to keep myself in limelight from my father. And since my childhood it was set that I want to be unique enough with my work so that people would notice me and my work.
We had same incidents from Mahatma Gandhi’s book ‘Satya Ke Prayog’ in our 5th class syllabus. His career struggle in England, unfavorable condition of his family to provide him money and then he managing his study and doing job, these fitted in my mind so well that I started thinking, “Even I can do this.” Once I saw the entire book ’Satya Ke Prayog” in my brother’s book shelf. And I read that book desperately. I was astonished with his personality. There I got a habit to read books about the great personalities in India and I started living in their world. I read many biographies like Ravindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhashchandra Bose, Lalbahadur Shastri and I understood that education is must. I was manifesting to study in the capital city and it would be an achievement for me when people would say “Woh Ramprasad Pehlwan Ka Beta Hai Na, Woh Delhi Mein Padh Raha Hai.” And indeed it happened. I got an address to the Delhi from my friend’s uncle.
You completed your further education from Delhi and then you turned towards NSD, how was that journey?
From class 8 till my graduation I was in Delhi. That time graduation was after class 11. In 1975/78 era there used to be higher secondary and then 3 year graduation program. After higher secondary, there arouse a question whether I should do a job or go to college. I was in search of part time job so that it would be easy for my studies. There is a government organization ‘Sahitya Kala Parishad’ that encouraged art and I saw their advertisement regarding the scholarships of National School Of Drama. I was at frontline in cultural activities; I was president of cultural activities in school. Speech, poem, debate, drama everything I had done in those cultural events. Scholarship was for the Delhi student to do a course from NSD in Rs. 250. I was quite confident about the NSD scholarship because I directed my solo performance narrating the story of a guy who lives away from his family and how badly he misses his mother and every time I used to perform that I cried on stage because somehow I felt connected to it as even I was living away from my mother. Audience appreciated my performance. One fine day my principal called me and asked me to make my acting hobby a career. Others told me this many times but when principal told me, I thought about it genuinely. I applied to NSD and got selected. In 1975 I joined NSD, completed my three years course there and also completed my graduation from Delhi University.
Your schooling had been done in Hindi medium so did you face any kind of challenges in NSD as lectures generally conducts in English?
Many, too many challenges arouse that I felt I had come to wrong place. All the faculty members were expertise who completed their education from foreign countries like Germany, England etc. Our director’s aim was to bring the expertise for better education but the problem was they were not familiar with Hindi language. And it created a major obstacle for Hindi medium student. Convent students were much comfortable. In initial days, everyone tried to make their impression with spoken English, lifestyle, money, attire etc. But I had neither money nor convent education. But within three months I realized and I stopped going classes. I didn’t understand what they were teaching and when they asked something I used to stand and said I didn’t understand anything that’s it. There is huge contribution of Ebrahim Alkazi Sir. When there is a conflict at a place you are, you can’t stay there for long time. So I left classes, stop going to rehearsal. I almost made a decision to leave the place. Then I found out a job so I made my mind saying I will do the job and on the other hand I will complete my graduation. Thus it was finalize that I would left the place on Sunday and on Friday when I was coming down the stairs someone called me, “Namdev”. And there he was our director Sir, Ebrahim Alkazi. I was scared for a moment. He asked me, “What happened? You stopped attending classes, what happened?” He scolded me and I started crying. I told him that I understood nothing whatever faculties taught us. We told them to teach in Hindi but they denied. I tried learning English but it would take time, looking at their speed of speaking. He took me to chamber and gave me water with his own hand. That’s the biggest thing for me. He told me a very precise thing, there are total of 9 subjects and almost 5-6 subjects are practical like make-up, dance, sword fighting, music, speech etc. and language is question for the subject of literature like classical drama. Western drama, modern Indian drama, word drama etc. So when there is theory, there comes language, Otherwise language is not a barrier. And he said, “If you are talented, hard working then work on practical subjects, there is no obstacle of language.” Suddenly it lightened my mind. I never thought about it. He told me that he would talk to faculties and asked me to work on my things. And from the very next morning, I kept a ‘me time’ from 5:00-8:30 am. In this time I focused on weak subjects like Yoga, Dance moments, speech. Within 6 months, I covered up and I topped in those subjects. And I made a comeback in NSD.
After completing three years course, I felt a need of more perfection. Hence, I joined professional wing of NSD, “Rangmandal”. All the trained actors, technicians, trained director work together in Rangmandal. Government gives them a specific amount as a salary to make a play, perform it and to propagate theatre in country. Only merit students get selected in that group and that group used to work outstanding. And if I have to learn something I should join that group. I decided that I would work 10 years in this group. Some group members were active sincelast6-7 years so I thought even I have to work this much to reach a certain level and I would probably needed 1-12 years more. My aim wasn’t to be a hero; I wanted to be a fine actor, an artist.
Generally people aims to be a hero after pursuing that course, then why did you have that unique thought to be an artist only?
According to me Hero and Heroine don’t have that much long life as character actors do. I used to see character actors like Shriram Lagoo. You perform well and keep working as a character artist with your talent. And hence I decided that it doesn’t mind if I need one or two year more but I will be a talented versatile actor. And there was a pressure of another thing that I had no God Father in Bombay to help me in this. My work is going to give me another professional works and therefore my work has to be finest. People must say that this is wonderful, we should call him. Thus, to bring more perfection in my work, I decided to stay there.
After working 10-12 years there, you left that place to go Bombay or to do films. Was that your own decision?
I had taken that decision by myself. I don’t afraid to take risk. In 1989, I felt that I have that fineness to give my 100% with any big actor; I can perform well in-front of them. I decided to grab this opportunity.
Did your classmates Anupam Kher, Satish Kaushik provide you any help who left NSD earlier?
I can’t forget the support, they guys gave me. When you live alone and somebody calls you every day, entertain you, never make you feel that you are alone, then it’s enough. They introduced me to new people. But ultimately you have to make your own place. If you have a quality work, you will get other offers easily. I had good theatre experience of 11 years and hence, within 3 months I got good role in “Sardar Patel” and got good amount. So I called my family in Bombay. Till then I was married and I had two daughters. I mentally prepared my wife for the risk factor. During “Sardar Patel” I got another film “Shola Shabnam” but Shola Shabnam released first. Sardar Patel took almost 4 years for making and release.
You have done the role of “Sardar Patel” in Meghna Gulzar directed film “Sam Bahadur” and in your first film you did the role of one of the close people to Sardar Patel. You must have observe something that time, so how difficult this role was and what challenges you faced in “Sam Bahadur”?
The biggest challenge was, it was a small role. So within that small period you have to depict the spirit of Sardar Patel and his character too. So I listened to his speeches. I saw documentaries to observe his body language. Worked on these things, studied them. Meghna Ji wanted that spirit to be seen. His way of speaking should differentiate his personality that he is an Iron Man. We take care of two things his powerful voice and powerful activities. And we portrayed it accordingly. But I am satisfied. Before accepting it I thought that why should I do this small role, I have never played small roles before. But Sardar Patel’s role was something else.
Do you find any changes in the today’s film compare to whatever you have seen during your first film like technical things, directional things etc.?
It’s even better. Nowadays, we have advanced technology. Advanced equipment catch little things. In that time, once camera started rolling, you had to keep acting and they will pick your best from the entire cut. But now if you have any minor problem, you can reshoot that specific part again. Earlier lowest voice, finest facial expressions used to catch in the frame. One could spot your conviction and spirit and one could even major the degree of your expression. So we had to prepare enough before coming in front of camera.
Meghna Gulzar is really strict director. You can’t take things casually. Dialogues, elements in characterization, the way of talking particular sentence, this everything we kept in mind; we followed it. And today she is happy and me too.
In “Shola Aur Shabnam”, you played a police man’s character. You worked with Govinda in that film. It was your first commercial film and it was blockbuster. How was that experience? Was that success a turning point, in your life?
I went Delhi to make a better version of myself and it took me 11 more years. I brought another level of confidence with me. I learned the art of applying my acting knowledge in better way. I knew how to create your impact in one sentence. So when I got one dialogue, I added some my elements in it and people liked it. There was a small scene when Police arrested Govinda and took him with them. There was one more police officer with me and I had only one dialogue, “Launde Mein Garmi Hai”. So I made a use of property, I took a police baton and I kept it near his ear and then deliver my dialogue. As I was a fresher, people registered it. If any established actor had done that then it would not make much difference. And then I kept doing such new things in my work. There was a scene at the end where I run. So I ran like a person who knows that his life is going to end and people registered that too.
You worked with Kareena Kapoor in a film, “Heroine” directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. You did the role of PA of Kareena’s character. The film is based on the life of today’s Bollywood actresses. Are there any similarities between film and reality? Or one should watch it for entertainment purpose only?
Earlier it used to happen. To create a kind of pressure it used to happen once. But now such incidents don’t occurred. So the film was made on the old situation. When star category actors don’t have work, at that time the feeling of frustration is worst. Because stars have habit of living a royal life and when that downfall comes, they can’t face people as they don’t want that sympathy.
Did any such incident happen with you that you don’t have work and you are frustrated?
Many times, during pandemic everything was fine. But earlier it had happened a lot of times. After Shola Aur Shabnam I didn’t had any work for two years. As that film was hit, people offered me only Police character. During the shooting of that movie, many people especially Mahavir Shah that it was his 28th film as an inspector; he didn’t get other characters. He also told me that actor Jagdish Raj till date played only police’s role. Thus, I was quite afraid. I didn’t come Bombay for this. Hence I decided then only that after the release of Shola Shabnam, I won’t play any similar roles. Sippy, Rajan Kothari, these big personalities called me for police roles and I denied them. And it set my negative impression that, “he is fresher and have so much of attitude, very arrogant.” There was rumor that this new guy was very egoistic. And then people stopped calling me. Then I started calling people but they told me that they had only inspector’s character which I wasn’t willing to do and if they had any other character they would let me know. And I was jobless for two years. Now imagine how I survived with my family for 2 years in Bombay. Those struggling days were…
Do you think, in Bollywood, hero, heroine or second lead receive more appreciation when it comes to award? Supporting characters don’t get Filmfare, Screen or National awards very frequently. Do you have any regret about this biased nature of Bollywood because of that you don’t receive any leading award?
I don’t think in this way but I always have this one question “Why. There were many chances when I could receive an award for my supporting character in movies like “Virasat”, “Sarfarosh”, “Satya”, “Kachche Dhaage”, “OMG” and there are many. But that’s fine I didn’t get any. I just feel that there has to be a change in the system which will bring a fairness to acknowledge artists’ work.
There were many controversies regarding the movie, “OMG”. OMG and other movies like “Adipurush” were on the target of Censor Board Cuts. And that restricts the liberty of director, producer which ultimately affects the social message filmmakers want to give through the film. So every time it is said that new chairman would bring the change but in government policy that change is not seen. The person who holds that position is responsible to bring that change. It is not possible from outside. That one person should be able to convince the system and our thoughts, our emotion towards the societal change has to get highlight. If representative from society goes inside the system, government then only the change is possible.
What message would you like to give your fans?
I will tell to all new comers that Performing Arts need a study. Lack of study is the only reason that the number of actors is getting decrease. As an actor, as a performer don’t leave your study, make it your habit. Keep your morning time as a study time and work on your complexities in those specific hours. I have done this and therefore I am telling you this and it is really beneficial.
