Govinda

His father came to Mumbai to become an actor in the late 1930s.

Aroon's professional career as an actor lasted for 15 years, from 1939 to 1954.

In these years, he worked as a hero in 30 films.

He produced one unsuccessful film which caused financial loss.

The family, living in a bungalow on Mumbai's Carter Road, moved to Virar, a northern Mumbai suburb, where Govinda was born.

The youngest of 6 children, he was given the pet name "Chi Chi," meaning "little finger" in Punjabi.

After Govinda received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Vartak College, Vasai, his father suggested a career in films.

He is best known for appearing in Mehboob Khan's Aurat (1940).

Govind Arun Ahuja (born 21 December 1963) known mononymously as Govinda, is an Indian actor, comedian, dancer, and former politician, who has appeared in more than 165 Hindi-language films.

Considered one of the greatest and most culturally significant Indian actors of all time, Govinda is known for his slapstick performances and dancing skills.

He has received 12 Filmfare Award nominations and won two Filmfare Special Awards and one Filmfare Award for Best Comedian.

Govinda was born on 21 December 1963 to former actor Aroon (alias Arun Kumar Ahuja) and singer-actress Nirmala Devi.

Govinda's father (Aroon Ahuja) hailed from Gujranwala, Punjab which is now in Punjab, Pakistan, Govinda's mother hailed from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Starting out as an action and dancing hero in the 1980s, his first film was 1986's Love 86, which turned out to be a hit.

Around this time, Govinda saw the film Disco Dancer (1982); afterward, he practiced for hours and circulated a promotional VHS cassette.

He was offered jobs in a fertilizer commercial and an Allwyn ad.

Govinda began shooting for his next film, Love 86, in June 1985.

He then appeared in subsequent hits including Ilzaam (1986), Marte Dam Tak (1987), Khudgarz (1987), Dariya Dil (1988), Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni (1989), Swarg (1990) and Hum (1991).

His first lead role was in Tan-Badan (1986) opposite Khushbu, directed by his uncle Anand.

His first release was Ilzaam (1986), followed by Love 86 that same year, both of which emerged as commercial successes.

He went on to star in many films of various genres between 1987 and 1989 including the family dramas Khudgarz (1987), Dariya Dil (1988), Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani (1988) and action and drama films including Hatya (1988), Marte Dam Tak (1987), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988) and Jung Baaz (1989).

He was offered the role of Abhimanyu in the popular mythological serial Mahabharat (1988) during its casting and he even had auditioned for it.

Still, soon he bagged his first Bollywood film.

Govinda worked with David Dhawan for the first time in the 1989 action film Taaqatwar and worked with Rajinikanth and Sridevi in Gair Kanooni that same year.

However, Govinda would go on to reinvent himself as a comic hero in the 1990s after his role as a mischievous young NCC cadet in the 1992 romance Shola Aur Shabnam and 1993 action comedy Aankhen in which he played dual role.

In 1990, Govinda starred in the cult classic Awaargi, with Anil Kapoor and Meenakshi Sheshadri.

Swarg and Maha-Sangram co-starring Vinod Khanna, Aditya Pancholi and Madhuri Dixit were also successful.

In 1991, he appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Rajnikanth in the hit film Hum.

In 1992, he starred in David Dhawan's action romantic comedy film Shola Aur Shabnam opposite actress Divya Bharti.

The film was a box office success and Govinda's portrayal of a mischievous youngster and NCC cadet gained much praise.

His successful collaboration with Dhawan continued with Aankhen, the highest-grossing film of 1993.

Govinda starred in the film in a dual role, alongside Chunky Panday.

Following the success of these films, Govinda had lead roles in several commercially successful comedy films, like Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Dulhe Raja (1998), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Anari No.1 (1999), Haseena Maan Jayegi (1999) and Jodi No. 1 (2001).

He went on to win the Filmfare Special Award for Saajan Chale Sasural and the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Haseena Maan Jaayegi.

In June 1999, he was voted the tenth-greatest star of stage or screen in last thousand years by BBC News Online poll.

After a series of several unsuccessful films in the 2000s, his later commercial hits include Bhagam Bhag (2006), Partner (2007), and Holiday (2014).

Govinda was a member of the Parliament of India from 2004 to 2009.

As the Indian National Congress party member, he was got elected as Member of Parliament (MP) form the Mumbai North constituency of Maharashtra, India in the Lok Sabha elections of 2004, defeating Ram Naik of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In 2015, Govinda became a judge on Season 2 of Zee TV's reality show, Dance India Dance Super Moms.

It received the highest TRP of any reality-show opening episode at that time.