Mar 10, 2025 06:24 AM IST
Govinda talked about the time he met Hollywood director James Cameron many years ago when he was planning to make Avatar.
James Cameron offered Avatar to Govinda first, claims the actor. The Academy Award-winning director even got the suggestion to name the film Avatar from Govinda himself. In a new interview with Mukesh Khanna on his YouTube channel, Govinda shared that he refused to play the lead role in the film because the character was ‘lame’. (Also read: Govinda says people in Bollywood conspired against him: ‘Shariantra ke baad mera nature badal gaya’)
When James Cameron offered Avatar to Govinda
During the conversation, Govinda shared that there have been many such incidents where his words have bore good results for people. He recalled an incident and said, “I even left an offer of ₹21.5 crore, although I remember this because it was painful. I had met a Sardarji in America and gave him a business idea to work in sweets and delicacies. Some years later, he said that the idea worked wonders for him. There, he made me meet James Cameron. He asked me to do a film with James, so I invited them for dinner to discuss about it.
Govinda said, ‘Hello? I am not doing your picture!’
He added, “Picture ka title bhi maine hi diya tha. Maine Rajesh Khanna ji ko dekha tha left hand kata hua… maine kaha, ‘Yaar accha aadmi he pata nahi kyu ajeeb sa role kar liya!’ Toh maine kaha, ‘Second time banegi Avatar!’ Toh mujhe kehta hai, ‘The hero is lame!’ (I had only given the title. I had seen Rajesh Khanna and wondered why he did that part. I only predicted the sequel). Maine kaha, ‘Lame? Govinda! Hello? I am not doing your picture!’ He said, ‘I am offering you 18 crores.’ I said, ‘I don’t want your 18 crores.’ He said the shoot will be for 410 days. I said that is okay, but if I paint my body, I will be in the hospital!”
About the Avatar franchise
The first Avatar film was released in 2009, starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in lead roles. The second instalment, The Way of Water, was released on December 16, 2022. The third instalment is expected to hit theatres in 2025, with Avatar 4 set for 2029 and Avatar 5 in 2031.
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