Neelam Kothari, a popular Bollywood actress of the 90s, has recently opened up about the long-standing rumors regarding her relationship with actor Govinda. Neelam and Govinda worked together in numerous films during the late 80s and early 90s. Since audiences greatly appreciated their on-screen pairing, speculation was rife at the time that they shared a close relationship in real life as well.
However, after many years, Neelam has clarified the matter. In an interview with ‘Times Now’, when it was mentioned that Govinda was in love with her off-screen, Neelam stated that she was very young at the time. She was not even aware that Govinda was married. Neelam stated that when she first entered the film industry, her entire focus was on her career. Her priorities were learning Hindi and establishing a strong foothold in the acting world; thinking about love or relationships at that age was virtually impossible for her.
“I didn’t know he was married”
Neelam mentioned that she was unaware at the time that Govinda was married; she only learned about it later. Therefore, she believes it is not right to view those past events through today’s perspective.
Neelam’s husband, actor Samir Soni, was also present during the interview. He remarked that he had never given much thought to an incident that took place nearly two decades ago. According to Sameer, he has no personal idea about what actually happened or what might have transpired at that time. Therefore, he stated there was no reason for him to offer an opinion on the matter. In a lighter vein, Sameer also mentioned that Govinda still claims he was deeply in love with Neelam.
Relationships were not Neelam’s priority at that time
Neelam has clarified that during the early stages of her career, she neither had the time nor the mindset for a romantic relationship. She had entered the film industry at a very young age and was completely focused on her work. Her parents were also quite strict; given her young age, a family member would always accompany her during shoots. However, this did not mean her family viewed the film industry negatively. She explained that because she was very young, family members would accompany her to ensure her safety.
Received affection like family on the film set
According to Neelam, everyone on the film set treated her with great affection and care. Her co-stars viewed her like a young girl and looked after her well. In this context, Samir Soni specifically mentioned actors Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt, noting that both actors were very protective and caring towards Neelam.
