Liveaction -- Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare

Another Govinda comic caper

Govinda can become an addiction. If you don’t believe us, ask the filmmakers who’ve worked with him — they keep signing him again and again. Little wonder, then, that Harmesh Malhotra, who directed him in Dulhe Raja, is now repeating him in his forthcoming ventures, Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare and Chalo Ishq Ladayen, too.

Call it the force of habit, if you like. Director Harmesh Malhotra is working with his lucky Dulhe Raja mascot, Govinda again, this time in not one but two forthcoming movies. SCREEN visits the sets of the first of them, Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare at Kamalistan Studio, Mumbai...

Both films are progressing fast. And naturally, Harmesh Malhotra is pleased as punch with his decision to repeat his favourite actor. “The best thing about Govinda is, he’s a totally reformed man now. Catch him coming late to the sets now,” says a beaming Malhotra, when we meet him on the sets of Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare, at Kamalistan Studio,

Andheri. Only one more schedule remains before the shoots are entirely wrapped up.

Says Malhotra, “There have been occasions when, before I or other unit members reach the sets, Govinda is
already there, waiting. As a professional, this used to be Govinda’s only shortcoming. Not any more. I’m sure he will now give other heros a run for their money. But honestly, I’ve never had any problems working with him even before this.”

So on to the set, which resembles a market. Actually, Mumbai’s famous Chor Bazaar has been recreated at Kamalistan. It’s a huge set. The main shop, where the shot is being canned has a very interesting name — ‘Honesty Stall’, with a humorous note in fine print: Yahan par chori ki cheezen poori imandari se kharidi aur bechi jaati hain (here, stolen goods are bought and sold in complete honesty).

Informs Malhotra, “The shop is owned by Kader Khan, who happens to be the local dada. His daughter, Raveena Tandon, is a college student. Since he himself is a goonda, he expects her daughter to get married to a bigger crook than him. Raveena, it turns out, falls in love with the simple, honest-to-goodness bloke, Govinda, instead.

She tells him her father will marry her only to a greater villain than himself. Govinda decides to turn a ‘new’ leaf, into a goonda. But a leapord doesn’t change his spots that easily. A habitually nice man, all his efforts to masquerade as a villain are easily spotted. He fools no one with his villainy. In fact, pal Johnny Lever, who trains Govinda in villainy, says he himself is more likely to become good, thanks to Govinda’s influence, than the other way round.

Kader Khan decides to give away his daughter, Raveena to the notorious goon, Shakti Kapoor, who, when he isn’t cooling his heels in jail, is plotting another crime. But ‘villain’ Govinda attempts to pull a fast one on them all...
The shot being canned, depicts the transformation of Govinda into a tapori in a humorous way. Govinda, Raveena Tandon, Kader Khan and Asrani participate in the shot. Govinda, brandishing a sword, pretends as if he’s about to hit Kader Khan with it. Suddenly, Raveena comes running in, pleading “Mere Daddy ko mat maro.” Govinda looks at her and says, “Bhai waah! Kya wonderful chokri hai.” Needless to say, it’s actually a ploy by Raveena and Govinda, to get her father’s consent to their plans of marriage. The shot is laden with comic punches, and the artistes are all in their elements, as one readily notices. Govinda hardly needs a retake. Neither, for that matter, do Kader Khan, Asrani and Raveena. So the shots are okayed with minimum fuss. And maximum aplomb. Soon, the day’s work is done.

Harmesh Malhotra is least perturbed by the poor showing of the last two Govinda-Raveena movies. “I did not sign Govinda and Raveena to cash in on the popular pairing. My subject demanded them, so they’re in the film. I’m not worried about the pair’s recent track record. Mine is a fun film, and I’m sure the audience will enjoy it,” he concludes.

Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare is produced and directed by Harmesh Malhotra under the banner of Eastern Films.

The film has story and screenplay by Prafull Parikh and Rajiv Kaul, music by Anand Raaj Anand, cinematography by Shyam Rao, dialogue by Anwar Khan, choreography by Chinni Prakash and action by Mahendra Verma.

Alok Mathur