In a television interview, Govinda recently claimed that James Cameron offered him a lead role in his blockbuster film, Avatar. The actor also claimed it he who suggested the film's title to Cameron. "I gave the title of the film (Avatar). It turned out to be a superhit. I had informed him (James Cameron) that the film will do really well. I told him that I feel it will take seven years for him to complete the film. He got angry. When I said so, he asked, 'how can you be so sure that I won't be able to make 'Avatar' for seven years?' I told him that what he was imagining was something almost impossible -- that he has named his film 'Avatar' but is showing aliens," Govinda said.
Talking about rejecting Avatar, Govinda claimed he did not have enough dates. "Cameron wanted me to shoot for 410 days. For someone like me, to get painted all over the body was something I could not do. So, I apologised. But like I said, the film went on to become a super hit." Soon after Govinda's interview went on air, Twitterati left hilarious comments/tweets on social media. One user wrote: "Govinda saying that he was offered Avatar is like saying Salman Khan was offered the Nobel Prize for physics." Another one tweeted: "Govinda was offered the role of Iron man but he rejected as he doesn't fit in an iron suit." Some even created photoshopped images of Govinda as the Na'vi of Pandora.
However, it looks like Govinda is unfazed by trolls, who have been targeting him for rejecting Avatar. Saying that he stands by his statement on Avatar, Govinda told a leading daily, "I am not active on social media, but my daughter Tina keeps me in the loop. I am fine with people wondering how someone like Govinda could refuse a James Cameron film. I can understand where they are coming from. I respect that thought. They are entitled to have that opinion, but to say how come Govinda got that offer in the first place, is wrong. It's not like meri aukad nahi hai. It's prejudiced behaviour." When prodded how Cameron got to know about him, Govinda stated, "I was a superstar then. He must have seen my films, but I am not too sure about that."
The actor signed off by saying, "People making a laughing stock of me is not new. I was mocked even at the beginning of my career because I dared to become an actor. They thought, I am from Virar gaon, yeh kaise hero banega! Even after my films did well, a certain section of people believed iska success toh fluke hai. I became Govinda because of my hard work."
Work wise, Govinda was last seen in Rangeela Raja.
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