There was a time when Govinda was at the top of his game and was delivering one big hit after another, but post ‘00s his career went on a downward spiral.

Now, in an interview, veteran film producer Pahlaj Nihalani has claimed that Govinda destroyed his own career by surrounding himself with pandits.

He also claimed that it was David Dhawan who poisoned the actor’s mind against the producer and hence they stopped working together.

He stated on The Vickey Lalwani Show, “Govinda was an all-rounder. He handled his career very well but because of his weakness, he trusts people easily and the atmosphere around him isn’t good, that’s why he wanders away. He keeps the company of pandits (astrologers, fortune tellers) and the atmosphere he has around him and what he believes in. But people don’t take those conversations seriously. These types of conversations and this aura are damaging for his career in the film industry.”

He further called Govinda naive and gave an example of the time when he starred in David Dhawan’s Partner alongside Salman Khan, “Govinda is so naive that in Partner, David Dhawan wanted only Govinda to play that character, but it was claimed that David and Salman helped Govinda during his career slump. But Govinda got so emotional and woh itna nasamajh hai. They acted like they are obliging Govinda but they actually wanted only him to play that role.”

© instagram/Pahlaj Nihalani

He also accused, “David Dhawan had filled Govinda’s mind with poison against me.”

He went on to talk about their 1993 blockbuster Aankhen which was directed by David Dhawan and starred Govinda alongside Chunky Panday.

Pahlaj stated, “The story was mine, screenplay I had written, dialogues were written by Anees Bazmee, and I would also record the songs and shoot them. So David was only there to shoot the scenes. In fact, he was even absent for 27 days while shooting the climax. He came to Mumbai to shoot for another film. I did all the leftover work. I shot most of the action sequences. In all our films together, he did this.”

When asked if he was upset with David Dhawan because of this, he replied, “No, I wanted a dummy director. Though he got the director’s credit, but as a producer, I was a big name so I didn’t care.”

Pahlaj Nihalani worked with Govinda and David Dhawan in Shola Aur Shabnam and Aankhen, among other films.

While Govinda and David Dhawan worked together in 18 films from Taaqatwar (1989)to Do Knot Disturb (2009).