Shilpa Shirodkar recalls shooting with Govinda in 'Hum' without life jackets: 'I was panicking in the middle of the water'
Mumbai, July 8
Bollywood 90s diva Shilpa Shirodkar recalled a terrifying incident from the 1990s when she almost drowned while filming a song sequence with Govinda in their superhit movie 'Hum'.
She revealed that there were no life jackets or proper safety measures on set.
During the latest episode of the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5, Shilpa was pleasantly surprised with a special video message from Govinda, who fondly reminisced about their successful films together before narrating the incident.
Recalling the mishap, Govinda shared, "Woh, use tairna nahi aata. Halanki mujhe bhi, main bhi koi accha swimmer toh tha nahi. Shilpa paani mein doob gayi aur main akela chala raha hoon. 'Haye haye Shilpa kidhar hai re? Kidhar hai?' Gayi paani mein. Phir? Main jaake Shilpa ko baahar nikala. Ab baahar aate heen Shilpa boli, 'Tujhya aayela... arey isse kaha tha ki mujhe abhi swimming nahi aati hain, kaaye ko isme daal diya hain?'"
(She didn't know how to swim. Honestly, I wasn't a very good swimmer either. Shilpa suddenly sank into the water while I was left navigating the boat alone. I kept shouting, 'Where is Shilpa?' She had disappeared underwater. I jumped in and pulled her out. As soon as she came out, she scolded everyone in Marathi, saying she had already told them she didn't know how to swim and questioned why she had been made to do the shot)
The anecdote left Shilpa in splits as Govinda hilariously recreated her panic on screen.
Reflecting on the risky working conditions of that era, Shilpa said, "Jis situation mein shooting karte the, bohot gin-chun ke log the. Main leather pant mein thi aur wahan pe W.B. Rao sir dusre boat mein aise bol rahe the pose karne, and I was panicking because we were in mid-water. Only four people were there. No life jacket, kuch nahi. And that's how we worked at that time."
(The conditions in which we used to shoot were completely different. There were very few people on set. I was wearing leather pants, while W.B. Rao sir was in another boat asking me to pose. I was panicking because we were in the middle of the water with only four people around. There were no life jackets or any safety equipment. That's how we worked back then)
For the uninitiated, Shilpa Shirodkar and Govinda starred together in the superhit movie, Hum which also starred Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Kimi Katkar.
The song both Govinda and Shilpa were seen referring to was Sanam Mere Sanam from the same movie.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Respect to both Shilpa and Govinda for surviving these unsafe conditions! But honestly, we should also criticize how casual Bollywood was about actor safety in the 90s. Imagine if something worse happened - no life jackets in mid-water? That's criminal negligence. W.B. Rao sir should have been more careful. Good that industry standards have improved now.
Govinda is a true hero! 🦸♂️ He saved not just Shilpa but also the film. 'Sanam Mere Sanam' is still an evergreen song - Shilpa looked gorgeous in those leather pants! Those 90s song shoots had such charm even without all the modern safety gear. But yes, safety first always! 💖
As someone working in the film industry, I can tell you things were crazy back then. No insurance, no safety protocols, just director's vision and actors' guts. Shilpa and Govinda are legends for pulling off such risky shoots. But glad to see today's Bollywood has learned - proper stunt coordinators and safety equipment are now mandatory.
Shilpa's Marathi scolding must have been epic! 🤣 Govinda imitating her panic is hilarious. But on a serious note, I'm glad Shilpa is sharing these stories - it reminds us of the risks actors take for our entertainment. She's still so beautiful and graceful even after all these years. 'Hum' was a gem of a movie! 🎬✨
This is why I have immense respect for 90
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